-"2 

LIB  R  A  RY 

OF   THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

01 KT     OK 


Received         W~\  271892    ,  7 
ccessions  No.  LL^  H1L      Shelf  No. 

—I - 

V,  26 


THE 


REDSKINS; 

OR, 

INDIAN      AND      INJIN 


BEING  THE   CONCLUSION  OF   THE 


BY    J.    FENIMORE    COOLER, 


in  every  work  regard  the  writer's  end ; 

None  e'er  can  compass  more  than  they  intend.-  -Po»» 


COMPLETE  IN   ONE    VOLUME. 


NEW    EDITION. 


NEW    YORK: 
STRINGER      AND      TOWNSEND, 

1857. 


THE  EEDSKINS. 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1846,  by 
J.  FENIMORE  COOPER, 

in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Northern  District 
of  New  York. 


P5 


PREFACE. 


Tms  book  closes  the  series  of  the  Littlepage  Ma* 
nuscripts,  which  have  been  given  to  the  world,  as 
containing  a  fair  account  of  the  comparative  sacri 
fices  of  time,  money  and  labour,  made  respectively  by 
the  landlord  and  the  tenants,  on  a  New  York  estate ; 
together  with  the  manner  in  which  usages  and  opi 
nions  are  changing  among  us ;  as  well  as  certain  of 
the  reasons  of  these  changes.  The  discriminating 
reader  will  probably  be  able  to  trace  in  these  narra 
tives  the  progress  of  those  innovations  on  the  great 
laws  of  morals  which  are  becoming  so  very  manifest 
in  connection  with  this  interest,  setting  at  naught 
the  plainest  principles  that  God  has  transmitted  to 
man  for  the  government  of  his  conduct,  and  all  under 
the  extraordinary  pretence  of  favouring  liberty  1  In 
this  downward  course,  our  picture  embraces  some 
of  the  proofs  of  that  looseness  of  views  on  the  subject 
of  certain  species  of  property  which  is,  in  a  degree 
perhaps,  inseparable  from  the  semi-barbarous  condi 
tion  of  a  new  settlement ;  the  gradation  of  the  squat 
ter,  from  him  who  merely  makes  his  pitch  to  crop  a 
few  fields  in  passing,  to  him  who  carries  on  the  busi 
ness  by  wholesale ;  and  last,  though  not  least  in  this 
catalogue  of  marauders,  the  anti-renter. 

It  would  be  idle  to  deny  that  the  great  principle 
which  lies  at  the  bottom  of  anti-rentism,  if  principle 

(iii) 


IV  PREFACE. 

it  can  be  called,  is  the  assumption  of  a  claim  that  the 
interests  and  wishes  of  numbers  are  to  be  respected, 
though  done  at  a  sacrifice  of  the  clearest  rights  of  the 
few.  That  this  is  not  liberty,  but  tyranny  in  its  worst 
form,  every  right-thinking  and  right-feeling  man  must 
be  fully  aware.  Every  one  who  knows  much  of  the 
history  of  the  past,  and  of  the  influence  of  classes, 
must  understand,  that  whenever  the  educated,  the 
affluent  and  the  practised,  choose  to  unite  their  means 
of  combination  and  money  to  control  the  political 
destiny  of  a  country,  they  become  irresistible ;  making 
the  most  subservient  tools  of  those  very  masses  who 
vainly  imagine  they  are  the  true  guardians  of  their 
own  liberties.  The  well-known  election  of  1840  is  a 
memorable  instance  of  the  power  of  such  a  combina 
tion  ;  though  that  was  a  combination  formed  mostly 
for  the  mere  purposes  of  faction,  sustained  perhaps 
by  the  desperate  designs  of  the  insolvents  of  the 
country.  Such  a  combination  was  necessarily  want 
ing  in  union  among  the  affluent ;  it  had  not  the  high 
support  of  principles  to  give  it  sanctity,  and  it  affords 
little  more  than  the  proof  of  the  power  of  money  and 
leisure,  when  applied  in  a  very  doubtful  cause,  in 
wielding  the  masses  of  a  great  nation,  to  be  the  in 
struments  of  their  own  subjection.  No  well-inten 
tioned  American  legislator,  consequently,  ought  ever 
to  lose  sight  of  the  fact,  that  each  invasion  of  the 
right  which  he  sanctions  is  a  blow  struck  against 
liberty  itself,  which,  in  a  country  like  this,  has  no 
auxiliary  so  certain  or  so  powerful  as  justice. 

The  State  of  New  York  contains  about  43,000 
square  miles  of  land ;  or  something  like  27,000,000 
of  acres.  In  1783,  its  population  must  have  been 


PREFACE.  V 

about  200,000  souls.  With  such  a  proportion  be 
tween  people  and  surface  it  is  unnecessary  to  prove 
that  the  husbandman  was  not  quite  as  dependent  on 
the  landholder,  as  the  landholder  was  dependent  on 
the  husbandman.  This  would  have  been  true,  had 
the  State  been  an  island;  but  we  all  know  it  was 
surrounded  by  many  other  communities  similarly 
situated,  and  that  nothing  else  was  so  abundant  as 
land.  All  notions  of  exactions  and  monopolies,  there 
fore,  must  be  untrue,  as  applied  to  those  two  interests 
at  that  day. 

In  1786-7,  the  State  of  New  York,  then  in  posses 
sion  of  all  powers  on  the  subject,  abolished  entails, 
and  otherwise  brought  its  law  of  real  estate  in  har 
mony  with  the  institutions.  At  that  time,  hundreds, 
perhaps  thousands,  of  the  leases  which  have  since 
become  so  obnoxious,  were  in  existence.  With  the 
attention  of  the  State  drawn  directly  to  the  main 
subject,  no  one  saw  anything  incompatible  with  the 
institutions  in  them.  It  was  felt  that  the  landlords 
had  bought  the  tenants  to  occupy  their  lands  by  the 
liberality  of  their  concessions,  and  that  the  latter  were 
the  obliged  parties.  Had  the  landlords  of  that  day- 
endeavoured  to  lease  for  one  year,  or  for  ten  years, 
no  tenants  could  have  been  found  for  wild  lands ;  but 
it  became  a  different  thing,  when  the  owner  of  the 
soil  agreed  to  part  with  it  for  ever,  in  consideration 
of  a  very  low  rent,  granting  six  or  eight  years  free 
from  any  charge  whatever,  and  consenting  to  receive 
the  product  of  the  soil  itself  in  lieu  of  money.  Then, 
indeed,  men  were  not  only  willing  to  come  into  the 
terms,  but  eager ;  the  best  evidence  of  which  is  the 
fact,  that  the  same  tenants  might  have  bought  land. 


VI  PREPACK. 

out  and  out,  in  every  direction  aroand  them,  had 
they  not  preferred  the  easier  terms  of  the  leases. 
Now,  that  these  same  men,  or  their  successors,  have 
become  rich  enough  to  care  more  to  be  rid  of  the 
encumbrance  of  the  rent  than  to  keep  their  money, 
the  rights  of  the  parties  certainly  are  not  altered. 

In  1789,  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  went 
into  operation ;  New  York  being  a  party  to  its  creation 
and  conditions.     By  that  Constitution,  the  State  de 
liberately  deprived  itself  of  the  power  to  touch  the 
covenants   of  these   leases,  without  conceding   the 
power  to  any  other  government;  unless  it  might  be 
through  a  change  of  the  Constitution  itself.     As  a 
necessary  consequence,  these  leases,  in  a  legal  sense, 
belong  to  the  institutions  of  New  York,  instead  of 
being  opposed  to  them.    Not  only  is  the  spirit  of  the 
institutions  in  harmony  with  these  leases,  but  so  is 
the  letter  also.  Men  must  draw  a  distinction  between 
the  "  spirit  of  the  institutions"  and  their  own  "  spi 
rits;"  the  latter  being  often  nothing  more  than  a 
stomach  that  is  not  easily  satisfied.    It  would  be  just 
as  true  to  affirm  that  domestic  slavery  is  opposed  to 
'  the  institutions  of  the  United  States,  as  to  say  the 
same  of  these  leases.     It  would  be  just  as  rational  to 
maintain,  because  A.  does  not  choose  to  make  an  as 
sociate  of  B.,  that  he  is  acting  in  opposition  to  the 
"  spirit  of  the  institutions,"  inasmuch  as  the  Declara 
tion  of  Independence  advances  the  dogmas  that  men 
are  born  equal,  as  it  is  to  say  it  is  opposed  to  the 
same  spirit,  for  B.  to  pay  rent  to  A.  according  to  his 
covenant. 

It  is  pretended  that  the  durable  leases  are  feuda, 
in  their  nature.  We  do  not  conceive  this  to  be  true 


PREFACE.  VII 

but,  admitting  it  to  be  so,  it  would  only  prove  that 
feudality,  to  this  extent,  is  a  part  of  the  institutions 
of  the  State.  What  is  more,  it  would  become  a  part 
over  which  the  State  itself  has  conceded  all  power 
of  control,  beyond  that  which  it  may  remotely  pos 
sess  as  one,  out  of  twenty-eight  communities.  As 
respects  this  feudal  feature,  it  is  not  easy  to  say 
where  it  must  be  looked  for.  It  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  simple  fact  of  paying  rent,  for  that  is  so  general 
as  to  render  the  whole  country  feudal,  could  it  be 
true ;  it  cannot  be  in  the  circumstance  that  the  rent 
is  to  be  paid  "  in  kind,"  as  it  is  called,  and  in  labour, 
for  that  is  an  advantage  to  the  tenant,  by  affording 
him  the  option,  since  the  penalty  of  a  failure  leaves 
the  alternative  of  paying  in  money.  It  must  be,  there 
fore,  that  these  leases  are  feudal  because  they  run  for 
ever !  Now  the  length  of  the  lease  is  clearly  a  con 
cession  to  the  tenant,  and  was  so  regarded  when  re 
ceived;  and  there  is  not  probably  a  single  tenant, 
under  lives,  who  would  not  gladly  exchange  his  term 
of  possession  for  that  of  one  of  these  detestable  dura 
ble  leases ! 

Among  the  absurdities  that  have  been  circulated 
on  this  subject  of  feudality,  it  has  been  pretended 
that  the  well-known  English  statute  of  "  quia  emp- 
tores"  has  prohibited  fines  for  alienation ;  or  that  the 
quarter-sales,  fifth-sales,  sixth-sales,  &c.  of  our  own 
leases  were  contrary  to  the  law  of  the  realm,  when 
made.  Under  the  common  law,  in  certain  cases  of 
feudal  tenures,  the  fines  for  alienation  were  an  inci 
dent  of  the  tenure.  The  statute  of  quia  emptores 
abolished  that  general  principle,  but- it  in  no  manner 
forbade  parties  to  enter  into  covenants  of  the  nature 


PREFACE. 


of  quarter  -sales,  did  they  see  fit.  The  common  law 
gives  all  the  real  estate  to  the  eldest  son.  Our  statute 
divides  the  real  estate  among  the  nearest  of  kin,  with 
out  regard  even  to  sex.  It  might  just  as  -well  be 
pretended  that  the  father  cannot  devise  all  his  lands 
to  his  eldest  son,  under  our  statute,  as  to  say  that 
the  law  of  Edward  I.  prevents  parties  from  bargain 
ing  for  quarter-sales.  Altering  a  provision  of  the 
common  law  does  not  preclude  parties  from  making 
covenants  similar  to  its  ancient  provisions. 

Feudal  tenures  were  originally  divided  into  two 
great  classes  ;  those  which  were  called  the  military 
tenures,  or  knight's  service,  and  soccage.  The  first 
tenure  was  that  which  became  oppressive  in  the  pro 
gress  of  society.  Soccage  was  of  two  kinds  ;  free  and 
villian.  The  first  has  an  affinity  to  our  own  system, 
as  connected  with  these  leases  ;  the  last  never  existed 
among  us  at  all.  When  the  knight's  service,  or  mili 
tary  tenures  of  England  were  converted  into  free 
soccage,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  the  concession 
was  considered  of  a  character  so  favourable  to  liberty 
as  to  be  classed  among  the  great  measures  of  the 
time  ;  one  of  which  was  the  habeas  corpus  act  ! 

The  only  feature  of  our  own  leases,  in  the  least 
approaching  "  villian  soccage,"  is  that  of  the  "  day's 
works."  But  every  one  acquainted  with  the  habits 
of  American  life,  will  understand  that  husbandmen, 
in  general,  throughout  the  northern  States,  would 
regard*  it  as  an  advantage  to  be  able  to  pay  their 
debts  in  this  way  ;  and  the  law  gives  them  an  option, 
since  a  failure  to  pay  "  in  kind,"  or  in  "  work,"  merely 
incurs  the  forfeiture  of  paying  what  the  particular 
thing  is  worth,  in  money.  In  point  of  fact,  money 


PREFACE.  IX 

has  always  been  received  for  these  "  day's  works/' 
and  at  a  stipulated  price. 

But,  it  is  pretended,  whatever  may  be  the  equity 
of  these  leasehold  contracts,  they  are  offensive  to  the 
tenants,  and  ought  to  be  abrogated,  for  the  peace  of 
the  State.  The  State  is  bound  to  make  all  classes  of 
men  respect  its  laws,  and  in  nothing  more  so  than  in 
the  fulfilment  of  their  legal  contracts.  The  greater 
the  number  of  the  offenders,  the  higher  the  obligation 
to  act  with  decision  and  efficiency.  To  say  that  these 
disorganizers  ought  not  to  be  put  down,  is  to  say  that 
crime  is  to  obtain  impunity  by  its  own  extent ;  and 
to  say  that  they  cannot  be  put  down  "  under  our  form 
of  government,"  is  a  direct  admission  that  the  govern 
ment  is  unequal  to  the  discharge  of  one  of  the  plainest 
and  commonest  obligations  of  all  civilized  society. 
If  this  be  really  so,  the  sooner  we  get  rid  of  the  pre 
sent  form  of  government  the  better.  The  notion  of 
remedying  such  an  evil  by  concession,  is  as  puerile 
as  it  is  dishonest.  The  larger  the  concessions  become, 
the  greater  will  be  the  exactions  of  a  cormorant 
cupidity.  As  soon  as  quiet  is  obtained  by  these 
means,  in  reference  to  the  leasehold  tenures,  it  will 
be  demanded  by  some  fresh  combination  to  attain 
some  other  end. 

When  Lee  told  Washington,  at  Monmouth,  "  Sir, 
your  troops  will  not  stand  against  British  grena 
diers,"  Washington  is  said  to  have  answered,  "  Sir, 
you  have  never  tried  them."  The  same  reply  might 
be  given  to  those  miserable  traducers  of  this  republic, 
who,  in  order  to  obtain  votes,  affect  to  think  there  is 
not  sufficient  energy  in  its  government  to  put  down 
*o  bare-faced  an  attempt  as  this  of  the  anti-renters 
1 


X  PREFACE, 

to  alter  the  conditions  of  their  own  leases  to  suit  theit 
own  convenience.  The  county  of  Delaware  has,  of 
itself,  nobly  given  the  lie  to  the  assertion,  the  honest 
portion  of  its  inhabitants  scattering  the  knaves  to  the 
four  winds,  the  moment  there  was  a  fair  occasion  made 
for  them  to  act.  A  single,  energetic  proclamation 
from  Albany,  calling  a  "  spade  a  spade,"  and  not 
affecting  to  gloss  over  the  disguised  robbery  of  these 
anti-renters,  and  laying  just  principles  fairly  before 
the  public  mind,  would  of  itself  have  crushed  the 
evil  in  its  germ.  The  people  of  New  York,  in  their 
general  capacity,  are  not  the  knaves  their  servants 
evidently  suppose. 

The  assembly  of  New  York,  in  its  memorable  ses 
sion  of  1846,  has  taxed  the  rents  on  long  leases  ;  thus, 
not  only  taxing  the  same  property  twice,  but  imposing 
the  worst  sort  of  income-tax,  or  one  aimed  at  a  few 
individuals.  It  has  "  thimble-rigged"  in  its  legisla 
tion,  as  Mr.  Hugh  Littlepage  not  unaptly  terms  it ; 
endeavouring  to  do  that  indirectly,  which  the  Con 
stitution  will  not  permit  it  to  do  directly.  In  other 
words,  as  it  can  pass  no  direct  law  "  impairing  the 
obligation  of  contracts,"  while  it  can  regulate  de 
scents,  it  has  enacted,  so  far  as  one  body  of  the  legis 
lature  has  power  to  enact  anything,  that  on  the  death 
of  a  landlord  the  tenant  may  convert  his  lease  into  a 
mortgage,  on  discharging  which  he  shall  hold  his 
land  in  fee ! 

We  deem  the  first  of  these  measures  far  more 
tyrannical  than  the  attempt  of  Great  Britain  to  tax 
her  colonies,  which  brought  about  the  revolution.  It 
is  of  the  same  general  character,  that  of  unjust  taxa 
tion  ;  while  it  is  attended  by  circumstances  of  aggra* 


PREFACE. 

vation  that  were  altogether  wanting  in  the  policy  of 
the  mother  country.  This  is  not  a  tax  for  revenue, 
which  is  not  needed ;  but  a  tax  to  "  choke  off"  the 
landlords,  to  use  a  common  American  phrase.  It  is 
clearly  taxing  nothing,  or  it  is  taxing  the  same  pro 
perty  twice.  It  is  done  to  conciliate  three  or  four 
thousand  voters,  who  are  now  in  the  market,  at  the 
expense  of  three  or  four  hundred  who,  it  is  known, 
are  not  to  be  bought.  It  is  unjust  in  its  motives,  its 
means  and  its  end.  The  measure  is  discreditable  to 
civilization,  and  an  outrage  on  liberty. 

But,  the  other  law  mentioned  is  an  atrocity  so 
grave,  as  to  alarm  every  man  of  common  principle 
in  the  State,  were  it  not  so  feeble  in  its  devices  to 
cheat  the  Constitution,  as  to  excite  contempt.  This 
extraordinary  power  is  exercised  because  the  legis 
lature  can  control  the  law  of  descents,  though  it 
cannot  "  impair  the  obligation  of  contracts  !"  Had 
the  law  said  at  once  that  on  the  death  of  a  landlord 
each  of  his  tenants  should  own  his  farm  in  fee,  the 
ensemble  of  the  fraud  would  have  been  preserved, 
since  the  "  law  of  descents"  would  have  been  so  far 
regulated  as  to  substitute  one  heir  for  another ;  but 
changing  the  nature  of  a  contract,  with  a  party  who 
has  nothing  to  do  with  the  succession  at  all,  is  not  so 
very  clearly  altering,  or  amending,  the  law  of  de 
scents  !  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  every 
reputable  court  in  the  country,  whether  State  or 
Federal,  would  brand  such  a  law  with  the  disgrace 
it  merits. 

But  the  worst  feature  of  this  law,  or  attempted 
law,  remains  to  be  noticed.  It  would  have  been  a 
premium  on  murder.  Mulder  has  already  been 


Xll  PREFACE. 

committed  by  these  anti-renters,  and  that  obviously 
to  effect  their  ends ;  and  they  were  to  be  told  that 
whenever  you-  shoot  a  landlord,  as  some  have  already 
often  shot  at  them,  you  can  convert  your  leasehold 
tenures  into  tenures  in  fee !  The  mode  of  valuation 
is  so  obvious,  too,  as  to  deserve  a  remark.  A  master 
was  to  settle  the  valuation  on  testimony.  The  wit 
nesses  of  course  would  be  "  the  neighbours,"  and  a 
whole  patent  could  swear  for  each  other ! 

As  democrats  we  protest  most  solemnly  against 
such  bare-faced  frauds,  such  palpable  cupidity  and 
covetousness  being  termed  anything  but  what  they 
are.  If  they  come  of  any  party  at  all,  it  is  the  party 
of  the  devil.  Democracy  is  a  lofty  and  noble  senti 
ment.  It  does  not  rob  the  poor  to  make  the  rich 
richer,  nor  the  rich  to  favour  the  poor.  It  is  just,  and 
treats  all  men  alike.  It  does  not  "  impair  the  obliga 
tions  of  contracts."  It  is  not  the  friend  of  a  canting 
legislation,  but,  meaning  right,  dare  act  directly. 
There  is  no  greater  delusion  than  to  suppose  that 
true  democracy  has  anything  in  common  with  injus 
tice  or  roguery. 

Nor  is  it  an  apology  for  anti-rentism,  in  any  of 
its  aspects,  to  say  that  leasehold  tenures  are  inexpe 
dient.  The  most  expedient  thing  in  existence  is  to 
do  right.  Were  there  no  other  objection  to  this  anti- 
rent  movement  than  its  corrupting  influence,  that 
alone  should  set  every  wise  man  in  the  community 
firmly  against  it.  We  have  seen  too  much  of  this 
earth,  to  be  so  easily  convinced  that  there  is  any 
disadvantage,  nay  that  there  is  not  a  positive  advan 
tage  in  the  existence  of  large  leasehold  estates,  when 
they  carry  with  them  no  political  power,  as  is  the 


PREFACE.  Xlll 

fact  here.  The  common-place  argument  against  them, 
that  they  defeat  the  civilization  of  a  country,  is  not 
sustained  by  fact.  The  most  civilized  countries  on 
earth  are  under  this  system ;  and  this  system,  too, 
not  entirely  free  from  grave  objections  which  do  not 
exist  among  ourselves.  That  a  poorer  class  of  citizens 
have  originally  leased  than  have  purchased  lands  in 
New  York,  is  probably  true ;  and  it  is  equally  proba 
ble  that  the  effects  of  this  poverty,  and  even  of  the 
tenure  in  the  infancy  of  a  country,  are  to  be  traced 
on  the  estates.  But  this  is  taking  a  very  one-sided 
view  of  the  matter.  The  men  who  became  tenants 
in  moderate  but  comfortable  circumstances,  would 
have  been  mostly  labourers  on  the  farms  of.  others, 
but  for  these  leasehold  tenures.  That  is  the  benefit 
of  the  system  in  a  new  country,  and  the  ultra  friend 
of  humanity,  who  decries  th.e  condition  of  a  tenant, 
should  remember  that  if  he  had  not  been  in  this  very 
condition,  he  might  have  been  in  a  worse.  It  is,  in 
deed,  one  of  the  proofs  of  the  insincerity  of  those  who 
are  decrying  leases,  on  account  of  their  aristocratic 
tendencies,  that  their  destruction  will  necessarily 
condemn  a  numerous  class  of  agriculturists,  either 
to  fall  back  into  the  ranks  of  the. peasant  or  day- 
labourer,  or  to  migrate,  as  is  the  case  with  so  many 
of  the  same  class  in  New  England.  In  point  of  fact, 
the  relation  of  landlord  and  tenant  is  one  entirely 
natural  and  salutary,  in  a  wealthy  community,  and 
one  that  is  so  much  in  accordance  with  the  necessi 
ties  of  men,  that  no  legislation  can  long  prevent  it. 
A  state  of  things  which  will  not  encourage  the  rich 
10  hold  real  estate  would  not  be  desirable,  since  it 
would  be  diverting  their  money,  knowledge,  liber- 
1* 


I 

PREFACE. 


ality,  feelings  and  leisure,  from  the  improvement  of 
the  soil,  to  objects  neither  so  useful  nor  so  praise 
worthy. 

The  notion  that  every  husbandman  is  to  be  a  free 
holder,  is  as  Utopian  in  practice,  as  it  would  be  to 
expect  that  all  men  were  to  be  on  the  same  level  in 
fortune,  condition,  education  and  habits.  As  such  a 
state  of  things  as  the  last  never  yet  did  exist,  it  was 
probably  never  designed  by  divine  wisdom  that  it 
should  exist.  The  whole  structure  of  society  must 
be  changed,  even  in  this  country,  ere  it  could  exist 
among  ourselves,  and  the  change  would  not  have 
been  made  a  month  before  the  utter  impracticability 
of  such  a  social  fusion  would  make  itself  fell  by  all. 

We  have  elsewhere  imputed  much  of  the  anti-rent 
feeling  to  provincial  education  and  habits.  This  term 
has  given  the  deepest  offence  to  those  who  were  most 
obnoxious  to  the  charge.  Nevertheless,  our  opinion 
is  unchanged.  We  know  that  the  distance  between 
the  cataract  of  Niagara  and  the  Massachusetts  line 
is  a  large  hundred  leagues,  and  that  it  is  as  great 
between  Sandy  Hook  and  the  45th  parallel  of  lati 
tude.  Many  excellent  things,  moral  and  physical, 
are  to  be  found  within  these  limits,  beyond  a  ques 
tion  ;  but  we  happen  to  know  by  an  experience  that 
has  extended  to  other  quarters  of  the  world,  for  a 
term  now  exceeding  forty  years,  that  more  are  to  be 
found  beyond  them.  If  "  honourable  gentlemen"  at 
Albany  fancy  the  reverse,  they  must  still  permit  ui 
to  believe  they  are  too  much  under  the  influence  of 
provincial  notions. 


THE  REDSKINS, 


CHAPTER  I. 

«  Thy  mother  was  a  piece  of  virtue,  and 
She  said — Thou  wert  my  daughter ;  and  thy  father 
Was  duke  of  Milan ;  and  his  only  heir 
A  princess ; — no  worse  issued," 

Tempest. 

MY  uncle  Ro  and  myself  had  been  travelling  together  in 
the  East,  and  had  been  absent  from  home  fully  five  years, 
when  we  reached  Paris.  For  eighteen  months  neither  of  us 
had  seen  a  line  from  America,  when  we  drove  through  the 
barriers,  on  our  way  from  Egypt,  via  Algiers,  Marseilles, 
and  Lyons.  Not  once,  in  all  that  time,  had  we  crossed  our 
own  track,  in  a  way  to  enable  us  to  pick  up  a  straggling 
letter ;  and  all  our  previous  precautions  to  have  the  epistles 
meet  us  at  different  bankers  in  Italy,  Turkey,  and  Malta, 
were  thrown  away. 

My  uncle  was  an  old  traveller — I  might  almost  say,  an 
old  resident — in  Europe ;  for  he  had  passed  no  less  than 
twenty  years  of  his  fifty-nine  off  the  American  continent. 
A  bachelor,  with  nothing  to  do  but  to  take  care  of  a  very 
ample  estate,  which  was  rapidly  increasing  in  value  by 
the  enormous  growth  of  the  town  of  New  York,  and  with 
tastes  early  formed  by  travelling,  it  was  natural  he  should 
seek  those  regions  where  he  most  enjoyed  himself.  Hugh 
Roger  Littlepage  was  born  in  1786 — the  second  son  of  my 
grandfather,  Mordaunt  Littlepage,  and  of  Ursula  Malbone, 
his  wife.  My  own  father,  Malbone  Littlepage,  was  the  eld 
est  child  of  that  connexion ;  and  he  would  have  inherited 
the  property  of  Ravensnest,  in  virtue  of  his  birthright,  had 


8  T II E     RED  SKINS.  • 

he  survived  his  own  parents ;  but,  dying  young,  I  stepped 
into  what  would  otherwise  have  been  his  succession,  in  my 
eighteenth  year.  My  uncle  Ro,  however,  had  got  both 
Satanstoe  and  Lilacsbush ;  two  country-houses  and  farms, 
which,  while  they  did  not  aspire  to  the  dignity  of  being 
t-states,  were  likely  to  prove  more  valuable,  in.  the  long  run, 
than  the  broad  acres  which  were  intended  for  the  patrimony 
of  the  elder  brother.  My  grandfather  was  affluent ;  for  nos 
only  had  the  fortune  of  the  Littlepages  centred  in  him,  but 
so  did  that  of  the  Mordaunts,  the  wealthier  family  of  the 
cwo,  together  with  some  exceedingly  liberal  bequests  from 
a  certain  Col.  Dirck  Follock,  or  Van  Valkenburgh ;  who, 
though  only  a  very  distant  connexion,  chose  to  make  my 
great-grandmother's,  or  Anneke  Mordaunt's,  descendants 
his  heirs.  We  all  had  enough  ;  my  aunts  having  handsome 
legacies,  in  the  way  of  bonds  and  mortgages,  on  an  estate 
called  Mooseridge,  in  addition  to  some  lots  in  town  ;  while 
my  own  sister,  Martha,  had  a  clear  fifty  thousand  dollars  in 
money.  I  had  town-lots,  also,  which  were  becoming  pro 
ductive  ;  and  a  special  minority  of  seven  years  had  made 
an  accumulation  of  cash  that  was  well  vested  in  New  York 
State  stock,  and  which  promised  well  for  the  future.  I  say 
a  "  special"  minority ;  for  both  my  father  and  graadfathe/, 
in  placing,  the  one,  myself  and  a  portion  of  the  property, 
and  the  other  the  remainder  of  my  estate,  under  the  guar 
dianship  and  ward  of  my  uncle,  had  made  a  provision  that 
I  was  not  to  come  into  possession  until  I  had  completed  my 
twenty-fifth  year. 

I  left  college  at  twenty ;  and  my  uncle  Ro,  for  so  Mar 
tha  and  myself  always  called  him,  and  so  he  was  always 
called  by  some  twenty  cousins,  the  offspring  of  our  three 
aunts ; — but  my  uncle  Ro,  when  I  was  done  with  college, 
proposed  to  finish  my  education  by  travelling.  As  this  was 
only  too  agreeable  to  a  young  man,  away  we  went,  just 
after  the  pressure  of  the  great  panic  of  1836-7  was  over, 
and  our  "  lots"  were  in  tolerable  security,  and  our  stocks 
safe.  In  America  it  requires  almost  as  much  vigilance  to 
take  care  of  property,  as  it  does  industry  to  acquire  it. 

Mr.  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage — by  the  wa)*-,  I  bore  the  same 
name,  though  I  was  always  called  Hugh,  while  my  uncle 
'.vent  by  the  different  appellations  of  Roger,  Ro,  and  Hodges 


THE     REDSKINS.  9 

among  his  familiars,  as  circumstances  had  rendered  the 
associations  sentimental,  affectionate,  or  manly — Mr.  Hugh 
Roger  Littlepage,  Senior,  then,  had  a  system  of  his  own,  in 
the  way  of  aiding  the  scales  to  fall  from  American  eyes,  by 
means  of  seeing  more  clearly  than  one  does,  or  can,  at 
home,  let  him  belong  where  he  may,  and  in  clearing  the 
specks  of  provincialism  from  off  the  diamond  of  republican 
water.  He  had  already  seen  enough  to  ascertain  that  while 
"  our  country,"  as  this  blessed  nation  is  very  apt  on  all 
occasions,  appropriate  or  not,  to  be  called  by  all  who  belong 
to  it,  as  well  as  by  a  good  many  who  do  not,  could  teach  a 
great  deal  to  the  old  world,  there  was  a  possibility — just  a 
possibility,  remark,  is  my  word — that  it  might  also  learn  a 
little.  With  a  view,  therefore,  of  acquiring  knowledge  se 
riatim,  as  it  might  be,  he  was  for  beginning  with  the  horn 
book,  and  going  on  regularly  up  to  the  belles-lettres  and 
mathematics.  The  manner  in  which  this  was  effected  de 
serves  a  notice. 

Most  American  travellers  land  in  England,  the  country 
"arthest  advanced  in  material  civilization  ;  then  proceed  to 
Italy,  and  perhaps  to  Greece,  leaving  Germany,  and  the  less 
attractive  regions  of  the  north,  to  come  in  at  the  end  of  the 
chapter.  My  uncle's  theory  was  to  follow  the  order  of  time, 
and  to  begin  with  the  ancients  and  end  with  the  moderns ; 
though,  in  adopting  such  a  rule,  he  admitted  he  somewhat 
lessened  the  pleasure  of  the  novice ;  since  an  American, 
fresh  from  the  fresher  fields  of  the  western  continent,  might 
very  well  find  delight  in  memorials  of  the  past,  more  espe 
cially  in  England,  which  pall  on  his  taste,  and  appear  insig 
nificant,  after  he  has  become  familiar  with  the  Temple  of 
Neptune,  the  Parthenon,  or  what  is  left  of  it,  and  the  Coli 
seum.  I  make  no  doubt  that  I  lost  a  great  deal  of  passing 
happiness  in  this  way,  by  beginning  at  the  beginning,  or  by 
beginning  in  Italy,  and  travelling  north. 

Such  was  our  course,  however  ;  and,  landing  at  Leghorn, 
we  did  the  peninsula  effectually  in  a  twelvemonth  ;  thence 
passed  through  Spain  up  to  Paris,  and  proceeded  on  to  Mos 
cow  and  the  Baltic,  reaching  England  from  Hamburg. 
When  we  had  got  through  with  the  British  isles,  the  anti 
quities  of  which  seemed  flat  and  uninteresting  to  me,  after 
having  seen  those  that  were  so  much  more  antiqucj  we 


10  THE     REDSKINS. 

returned  to  Paris,  in  order  that  I  might  become  a  man  of  the 
world,  if  possible,  by  rubbing  off  the  provincial  specks  that 
had  unavoidably  adhered  to  the  American  diamond  while  in 
its  obscurity. 

My  uncle  Ro  was  fond  of  Paris,  and  he  had  actually 
become  the  owner  of  a  small  hotel  in  the  faubourg,  in  which 
he  retained  a  handsome  furnished  apartment  for  his  own 
use.  The  remainder  of  the  house  was  let  to  permanent 
tenants ;  but  the  whole  of  the  first  floor,  and  of  the  entresol, 
remained  in  his  hands.  As  a  special  favour,  he  would  allow 
some  American  family  to  occupy  even  his  own  apartment — • 
or  rather  appartement,  for  the  words  are  not  exactly  syno 
nymous — when  he  intended  to  be  absent  for  a  term  exceed 
ing  six  months,  using  the  money  thus  obtained  in  keeping 
the  furniture  in  repair,  and  his  handsome  suite  of  rooms, 
including  a  salon,  salle  a  manger ,  ante-chambre,  cabinet, 
several  chambres  d  coucher,  and  a  boudoir — yes,  a  male 
boudoir!  for  so  he  affected  to  call  it — in  a  condition  to 
please  even  his  fastidiousness. 

On  our  arrival  from  England,  we  remained  an  entire  sea 
son  at  Paris,  all  that  time  rubbing  the  specks  off  the  diamond, 
when  my  uncle  suddenly  took  it  into  his  head  that  we  ought 
to  see  the  East.  He  had  never  been  further  than  Greece, 
himself;  and  he  now  took  a  fancy  to  be  my  companion  in 
such  an  excursion.  We  were  gone  two  years  and  a  half, 
visiting  Greece,  Constantinople,  Asia  Minor,  the  Holy  Land, 
t^etra,  the  Red  Sea,  Egypt  quite  to  the  second  cataracts,  and 
nearly  the  whole  of  Barbary.  The  latter  region  we  threw 
in,  by  way  of  seeing  something  out  of  the  common  track. 
But  so  many  hats  and  travelling-caps  are  to  be  met  with, 
now-a-days,  among  the  turbans,  that  a  well-mannered  Chris 
tian  may  get  along  almost  anywhere  without  being  spit 
upon.  This  is  a  great  inducement  for  travelling  generally, 
and  ought  to  be  so  especially  to  an  American,  who,  on  the 
whole,  incurs  rather  more  risk  now  of  suffering  this  humili 
ation  at  home,  than  he  would  even  in  Algiers.  But  the 
animus  is  everything  in  morals. 

We  had,  then,  been  absent  two  years  and  a  J.alf  from 
Paris,  and  had  not  seen  a  paper  or  received  a  letter  from 
America  in  eighteen  months,  when  we  drove  through  the 
barrier.  Even  the  letters  and  papers  received  or  seen  pro- 


THE     REDSKINS.  11 

viously  to  this  last  term,  were  of  a  private  nature,  and  con 
tained  nothing  of  a  general  character.  The  "  twenty  mil 
lions" —  it  was  only  the  other  day  they  were  called  the 
"  twelve  millions" — but,  the  "  twenty  millions,"  we  knew, 
had  been  looking  up  amazingly  after  the  temporary  depres 
sion  of  the  moneyed  crisis  it  had  gone  through ;  and  the 
bankers  had  paid  our  drafts  with  confidence,  and  without 
extra  charges,  during  the  whole  time  we  had  been  absent. 
It  is  true,  Uncle  Ro,  as  an  experienced  traveller,  went  well 
fortified  in  the  way  of  credit — a  precaution  by  no  means 
unnecessary  with  Americans,  after  the  cry  that  had  been 
raised  against  us  in  the  old  world. 

And  here  I  wish  to  say  one  thing  plainly,  before  I  write 
another  line.  As  for  falling  into  the  narrow,  self-adulatory, 
provincial  feeling  of  the  American  who  has  never  left  his 
mother's  apron-string,  and  which  causes  him  to  swallow, 
open-mouthed,  all  the  nonsense  that  is  uttered  to  the  world 
in  the  columns  of  newspapers,  or  in  the  pages  of  your  year 
ling  travellers,  who  go  on  "excursions"  before  they  are 
half  instructed  in  the  social  usages  and  the  distinctive  fea 
tures  of  their  own  country,.!  hope  I  shall  be  just  as  far 
removed  from  such  a  weakness,  in  any  passing  remark  that 
may  flow  from  my  pen,  as  from  the  crime  of  confounding 
principles  and  denying  facts  in  a  way  to  do  discredit  to  the 
land  of  my  birth  and  that  of  my  ancestors.  I  have  lived 
long  enough  in  the  "  world,"  not  meaning  thereby  the  south 
east  corner  of  the  north-west  township  of  Connecticut,  to 
understand  that  we  are  a  vast  way  behind  older  nations,  in 
thought  as  well  as  deed,  in  many  things  ;  while,  on  the  oppo 
site  hand,  they  are  a  vast  way  behind  us  in  others.  I  see  no 
patriotism  in  concealing  a  wholesome  truth ;  and  least  of  all 
ishall  I  be  influenced  by  the  puerility  of  a  desire  to  hide 
anything  of  this  nature,  because  I  cannot  communicate  it 
to  my  countrymen  without  communicating  it  to  the  rest  of 
the  world.  If  England  or  France  had  acted  on  this  narrovr 
principle,  where  would  have  been  their  Shakspeares,  their 
Sheridans,  their  Beaumonts  and  Fletchers,  and  their  Mo- 
lieres  !  No,  no !  great  national  truths  are  not  to  be  treated 
as  the  gossiping  surmises  of  village  crones.  He  who  reads 
what  I  write,  therefore,  must  expect  to  find  what  I  think  of 
matters  and  things,  and  not  exactly  what  he  may  happen  to 


12  THE    REDSKINS. 

think  on  the  same  subjects.  Any  one  is  at  liberty  to  com 
pare  opinions  with  me ;  but  I  ask  the  privilege  of  possessing 
some  small  liberty  of  conscience  in  what  is,  far  and  near, 
proclaimed  to  be  the  only  free  country  on  the  earth.  By 
"  far  and  near,"  I  mean  from  the  St.  Croix  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  from  Cape  Cod  to  the  entrance  of  St.  Juan  de 
Fuca ,  and  a  pretty  farm  it  makes,  the  "  interval'*  that  lies 
between  "these  limits  !  One  may  call  it  "  far  and  near" 
without  the  imputation  of  obscurity,  or  that  of  vanity. 

Our  tour  was  completed,  in  spite  of  all  annoyances;  and 
here  we  were  again,  within  the  walls  of  magnificent  Paris  1 
The  postilions  had  been  told  to  drive  to  the  hotel,  in  the  rue 
St.  Dominique ;  and  we  sat  down  to  dinner,  an  hour  after 
our  arrival,  under  our  own  roof.  My  uncle's  tenant  had 
left  the  apartment  a  month  before,  according  to  agreement ; 
and  the  porter  and  his  wife  had  engaged  a  cook,  set  the. 
rooms  in  order,  and  prepared  everything  for  our  arrival. 

"  It  must  be  owned,  Hugh,"  said  my  uncle,  as  he  finished 
his  soup  that  day,  "  one  may  live  quite  comfortably  in  Paris,, 
if  he  possess  the  savoir  vivre.  Nevertheless,  I  have  a 
strong  desire  to  get  a  taste  of  native  air.  One  may  say  and 
think  what  he  pleases  about  the  Paris  pleasures,  and  the 
Paris  cuisine,  and  all  that  sort  of  things ;  but  "  home  is 
home,  be  it  ever  so  homely."  A  '  dlnde  aux  t ruffes7  is  capi 
tal  eating ;  so  is  a  turkey  with  cranberry  sauce.  I  some 
times  think  I  could  fancy  even  a  pumpkin  pie,  though  there 
is  not  a  fragment  of  the  rock  of  Plymouth  in  the  granite  of 
my  frame." 

"  I  have  always  told  you,  SHT,  that  America  is  a  capital 
eating  and  drinking  country,  let  it  want  civilization  in. 
other  matters,  as  much  as  it  may.'* 

"  Capital  for  eating  and  drinking,  Hugh,  if  you  can  keep 
clear  of  the  grease,  in  the  first  place,  and  find  a  real  cookA 
in  the  second.  There  is  as  much  difference  between  the 
cookery  of  New  England,  for  instance,  and  that  of  the 
Middle  States,  barring  the  Dutch,  as  there  is  between  that 
of  England  and  Germany.  The  cookery  of  the  Middle 
States,  and  of  the  Southern  States,  too,  though  that  savours. 
a  little  of  the  West  Indies — but  the  cookery  of  the  Middle 
States  is  English,  in  its  best  sense ;  meaning  the  hearty* 
substantial1,  savoury  dishes  of  the  English  in  their  true  do- 


THE    REDSKINS.  ** 

mestic  life,  with  their  roast-beef  underdone,  their  beefsteaks 
done  to  a  turn,  their  chops  full  of  gravy,  their  mutton-broth, 
legs-of-mutton,  et  id  omne  genus.  We  have  some  capital 
things  of  our  own,  too ;  such  as  canvass-backs,  reedbirds, 
sheepshead,  shad,  and  blackfish.  The  difference  between 
New  England  and  the  Middle  States  is  still  quite  observ 
able,  though  in  my  younger  days  it  was  patent.  I  suppose 
the  cause  has  been  the  more  provincial  origin,  and  the  more 
provincial  habits,  of  our  neighbours.  By  George  !  Hugh, 
one  could  fancy  clam-soup  just  now,  eh  !" 

"  Clam-soup,  sir,  well  made,  is  one  of  the  most  delicious 
soups  in  the  world.  If  the  cooks  of  Paris  could  get  hold 
of  the  dish,  it  would  set  them  up  for  a  whole  season." 

"  What  is  *  creme  de  Baviere,'  and  all  such  nick-nacks, 
boy,  to  a  good  plateful  of  clam-soup  ?  Well  made,  as  you 
say — made  as  a  cook  of  Jennings'  used  to  make  it,  thirty 
years  since.  Did  I  ever  mention  that  fellow's  soup  to  you 
before,  Hugh?" 

"Often,  sir.  I  have  tasted  very  excellent  clam-soup, 
however,  that  he  never  saw.  Of  course  you  mean  soup  just 
flavoured  by  the  little  hard-clam— none  of  your  vulgar  pot- 
age  a  la  soft-clam  ?" 

"  Soft-clams  be  hanged !  they  are  not  made  for  gentlemen 
to  eat.  Of  course  I  mean  the  hard-clam,  and  the  small 
clam,  too — 

Here 's  your  fine  clams, 
As  white  as  snow; 
On  Rockaway 
These  clams  do  grow. 

The  cries  of  New  York  are  quite  going  out,  like  everything 
else  at  home  that  is  twenty  years  old.  Shall  I  send  you 
some  of  this  eternal  poulet  a  la  Marengo  1  I  wish  it  were 
honest  American  boiled  fowl,  with  a  delicate  bit  of  shoat- 
pork  alongside  of  it.  I  feel  amazingly  homeisk  this  eve 
ning,  Hugh!" 

"  It  is  quite  natural,  my  dear  uncle  Ro ;  and  I  own  to  the 
« soft  impeachment'  myself.  Here  have  we  both  been  ab 
sent  from  our  native  land  five  years,  and  half  that  time 
almost  without  hearing  from  it.  We  know  that  Jacob" — 
this  was  a  free  negro  who  served  my  uncle,  a  relic  of  tho 
2 


14  THE     REDSKINS. 

old  domestic  system  of  the  colonies,  whose  name  would 
have  been  Jaaf,  or  Yop,  thirty  years  before — "  has  gone  to 
our  banker's  for  letters  and  .papers ;  and  that  naturally 
draws  our  thoughts  to  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  I  dare 
say  we  shall  both  feel  relieved  at  breakfast  to-morrow,  when 
we  shall  have  read  our  respective  despatches." 

"  Come,  let  us  take  a  glass  of  wine  together,  in  the  good 
old  York  fashion,  Hugh.  Your  father  and  I,  when  boys, 
never  thought,  of  wetting  our  lips  with  the  half-glass  of  Ma 
deira  that  fell  to  our  share,  without  saying,  *  Good  health, 
Mall !'  <  Good  health,  Hodge !'  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,  uncle  Ro.  The  custom  was  getting 
to  be  a  little  obsolete  even  before  I  left  home ;  but  it  is 
almost  an  American  custom,  by  sticking  to  us  longer  than 
to  most  people." 

"  Henri !" 

This  was  my  uncle's  maitre  d'hotel,  whom  he  had  kept 
at  board-wages  the  whole  time  of  our  absence,  in  order  to 
make  sure  of  his  ease,  quiet,  taste,  skill,  and  honesty,  on 
his  return. 

"  Monsieur !" 

"I  dare  say" — my  uncle  spoke  French  exceedingly  well 
for  a  foreigner ;  but  it  is  better  to  translate  what  he  said  as 
we  go — "  I  dare  say  this  glass  of  vin  de  Bourgogne  is  very 
good ;  it  looks  good,  and  it  came  from  a  wine-merchant  on 
whom  I  can  rely ;  but  Mons.  Hugh  and  I  are  going  to  drink 
together,  a  1'Americaine,  and  I  dare  say  you  will  let  us 
have  a  glass  of  Madeira,  though  it  is  somewhat  late  in  the 
dinner  to  take  it." 

"  Tres  volontiers,  Messieurs — it  is  my  happiness  to  oblige 
you." 

Uncle  Ro  and  I  took  the  Madeira  together ;  but  I  cannot 
say  much  in  favour  of  its  quality. 

"  What  a  capital  thing  is  a  good  Newtown  pippin  !"  ex 
claimed  my  uncle,  after  eating  a  while  in  silence.  "  They 
talk  a  great  deal  about  their  poire  beurree,  here  at  Paris; 
but,  to  my  fancy,  it  will  not  compare  with  the  Newtowners 
we  grow  at  Satanstoe,  where,  by  the  way,  the  fruit  is  rathei 
better,  I  think,  than  that  one  finds  across  the  river,  at  New- 
town  itself." 

"  They  are  capital  apples,  bir ;  and  your  orchard  at  Sa- 


THE     REDSKINS.  15 

tanstoe  is  one  of  the  best  I  know,  or  rather  what  is  left  of 
it ;  for  I  believe  a  portion  of  your  trees  are  in  what  is  now 
a  suburb  of  Dibbletonborough  ?" 

"  Yes,  blast  that  place  !  I  wish  I  had  never  parted  with 
a  foot  of  the  old  neck,  though  I  did  rather  make  money  by 
the  sale.  But  money  is  no  compensation  for  the  affections." 

"  Rather  make  money,  my  dear  sir !  Pray,  may  I  ask 
what  Satanstoe  was  valued  at,  when  you  got  it  from  my 
grandfather  ?" 

"  Pretty  well  up,  Hugh ;  for  it  was,  and  indeed  is,  a  first- 
rate  farm.  Including  -sedges  and  salt-meadows,  you  will 
remember  that  there  are  quite  five  hundred  acres  of  it,  alto 
gether." 

"  Which  you  inherited  in  1829  ?" 

"  Of  course ;  that  was  the  year  of  my  father's  death. 
Why,  the  place  was  thought  to  be  worth  about  thirty  thou 
sand  dollars  at  that  time  ;  but  land  was  rather  low  in  West- 
chester  in  1829." 

"And  you  sold  two  hundred  acres,  including  the  point, 
the  harbour,  and  a  good  deal  of  the  sedges,  for  the  moderate 
modicum  of  one  hundred  and  ten  thousand,  cash.  A  tolera 
ble  sale,  sir !" 

"  No,  not  cash.  I  got  only  eighty  thousand  down,  while 
thirty  thousand  were  secured  by  mortgage." 

"  Which  mortgage  you  hold  yet,  I  dare  say,  if  the  truth 
were  told,  covering  the  whole  city  of  Dibbletonborough. 
A  city  ought  to  be  good  security  for  thirty  thousand  dol 
lars?" 

"  It  is  not,  nevertheless,  in  this  case.  The  speculators 
who  bought  of  me  in  1835  laid  out  their  town,  built  a  hotel, 
a  wharf,  and  a  warehouse,  and  then  had  an  auction.  They 
sold  four  hundred  lots,  each  twenty-five  feet  by  a  hundred 
regulation  size,  you  see,  at  an  average  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  receiving  one-half,  or  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
down,  and  leaving  the  balance  on  mortgage.  Soon  after 
this,  the  bubble  burst,  and  the  best  lot  at  Dibbletonborough 
would  not  bring,  under  the  hammer,  twenty  dollars.  The 
hotel  and  the  warehouse  stand  alone  in  their  glory,  and  will 
thus  stand  until  they  fall,  which  will  not  be  a  thousand  years 
hence,  I  rather  think." 

"And  what  is  the  condition  of  the  town-plot?" 


16  THE    REDSKINS. 

"  Bad  enough.  The  landmarks  are  disappearing ,  and  it 
would  cost  any  man  who  should  attempt  it,  the  value  of  his 
lot,  to  hire  a  surveyor  to  find  his  twenty-five  by  a  hundred  " 

"  But  your  mortgage  is  good  ?" 

"Ay,  good  in  one  sense ;  but  it  would  puzzle  a  Philadel 
phia  lawyer  to  foreclose  it.  Why,  the  equitable  interests  in 
that  town-plot,  people  the  place  of  themselves.  I  ordered 
my  agent  to  commence  buying  up  the  rights,  as  the  shortest 
process  of  getting  rid  of  them ;  and  he  told  me  in  the  very 
last  letter  I  received,  that  he  had  succeeded  in  purchasing 
the  titles  to  three  hundred  and  seventeen  of  the  lots,  at  an 
average  price  of  ten  dollars.  The  remainder,  I  suppose,, 
will  have  to  be  absorbed." 

"Absorbed  !  That  is  a  process  I  never  heard  of,  as  ap 
plied  to  land." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  of  it  done,  notwithstanding,  in 
America.  It  is  merely  including  within  your  own  posses 
sion,  adjacent  land  for  which  no  claimant  appears.  What 
can  I  do  ?  No  owners  are  to  be  found  ;  and  then  my  mort 
gage  is  always  a  title.  A  possession  of  twenty  years  under 
a  mortgage  is  as  good  as  a  deed  in  fee-simple,  with  full 
covenants  of  warranty,  barring  minors  audfemmes  covert" 

"  You  did  better  by  Lilacsbush  ?" 

"Ah,  that  was  a  clean  transaction,  and  has  left  no  draw- 
backs.  Lilacsbush  being  on  the  isla»4  of-  Manhattan,  one 
is  sure  there  will  be  a  town  there,  some  day  or. other.  It 
is  true,  the  property  lies  quite  eight  miles  from  the  City 
Hall ;  nevertheless,  it  has  a  value,  and  can  always  be  sold 
at  something  near  it.  Then  the  plan  of  New  York  is  made 
and  recorded,  and  one  can  find  his  lots.  Nor  can  any  man 
say  when  the  town  will  not  reach  Kingsbridge." 

"  You  got  a  round  price  for  the  Bush,  too,  I  have  heard, 
sir?" 

"  I  got  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  in 
hard  cash.  I  would  give  no  credit,  and  have  every  dollar 
of  the  money,  at  this  moment,  in  good  six  per  cent,  stock 
of  the  States  of  New  York  and  Ohio." 

"  Which  some  persons  in  this  part  of  the  world  would 
fancy  to  be  no  very  secure  investment." 

"  More  fools  they.  America  is  a  glorious  country,  after 
all,  Hugh ;  and  it  is  a  pride  and  a  satisfaction  to  belong  to 


THE     REDSKINS.  17 

it.  Look  back  at  it,  as  I  can  remember  it,  a  nation  spit 
upon  by  all  the  rest  of  Christendom " 

"  You  must  at  least  own,  my  dear  sir,"  I  put  in,  some 
what  pertly,  perhaps,  "  the  example  might  tempt  other  peo 
ple  ;  for,  if  ever  there  was  a  nation  that  is  assiduously  spit 
ting  on  itself,  it  is  our  own  beloved  land." 

"  True,  it  has  that  nasty  custom  in  excess,  and  it  growa 
worse  instead  of  better,  as  the'  influence  of  the  better  man 
nered  and  better  educated  diminishes ;  but  this  is  a  spot  on 
the  sun — a  mere  flaw  in  the  diamond,  that  friction  will  take 
out.  But  what  a  country — what  a  glorious  country,  in 
truth,  it  is  !  You  have  now  done  the  civilized  parts  of  the 
old  world  pretty  thoroughly,  my  dear  boy,  and  must  be  per 
suaded,  yourself,  of  the  superiority  of  your  native  land." 

"  I  remember  you  have  always  used  this  language,  uncle 
Ro ;  yet  have  you  passed  nearly  one-half  of  your  time  out 
of  that  glorious  country,  since  you  have  reached  man's 
estate." 

"  The  mere  consequence  of  accidents  and  tastes.  I  do 
not  mean  that  America  is  a  country  for  a  bachelor,  to  begin 
with ;  the  means  of  amusement  for  those  who  have  no  do 
mestic  hearths,  are  too  limited  for  the  bachelor.  Nor  do  I 
mean  that  society  in  America,  in  its  ordinary  meaning,  is 
in  any  way  as  well-ordered,  as  tasteful,  as  well-mannered, 
as  agreeable,  or  as  instructive  and  useful,  as  society  in 
almost  any  European  country  I  know.  I  have  never  sup 
posed  that  the  man  of  leisure,  apart  from  the  affections, 
could  ever  enjoy  himself  half  as  much  at  home,  as  he  may 
enjoy  himself  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  and  I  am  willing 
to  admit  that,  intellectually,  most  gentlemen  in  a  great  Eu 
ropean  capital  live  as  much  in  one  day,  as  they  would  live 
in  a  week  in  such  places  as  New  York,  and  Philadelphia, 
and  Baltimore." 

"  You  do  not  include  Boston,  I  perceive,  sir." 

"  Of  Boston  I  say  nothing.  They  take  the  mind  hard 
there,  and  we  had  better  let  such  a  state  of  things  alone.  But 
as  respects  a  man  or  woman  of  leisure,  a  man  or  woman 
of  taste,  a  man  or  woman  of  refinement  generally,  I  am 
willing  enough  to  admit  that,  ceeteris  paribus,  each  can  find 
far  more  enjoyment  in  Europe  than  in  America.  But  the 
philosopher,  the  philanthropist,  the  political  economist — in 
2* 


18  THE    REDSKINS. 

a  word,  the  patriot,  may  well  exult  in  such  elements  of  pro 
found  national  superiority  as  may  be  found  in  America." 

"  I  hope  these  elements  are  not  so  profound  but  they  can 
be  dug  up  at  need,  uncle  Ro?" 

"  There  will  be  little  difficulty  in  doing  that,  my  boy. 
Look  at  the  equality  of  the  laws,  to  begin  with.  They  are 
made  on  the  principles  of  natural  justice,  and  are  intended 
for  the  benefit  of  society — for  the  poor  as  well  as  the  rich." 

"Are  they  also  intended  for  the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor  ?" 

"  Well,  I  will  grant  you  a  slight  blemish  is  beginning  to 
appear,  in  that  particular.  It  is  a  failing  incidental  to  hu 
manity,  and  we  must  not  expect  perfection.  There  is  cer 
tainly  a  slight  disposition  to  legislate  for  numbers,  in  order 
to  obtain  support  at  the  polls,  which  has  made  the  relation 
of  debtor  and  creditor  a  little  insecure,  possibly ;  but  pru 
dence  can  easily  get  along  with  that.  It  is  erring  on  the 
right  side,  is  it  not,  to  favour  the  poor  instead  of  the  rich, 
if  either  is  to  be  preferred  V 

"  Justice  would  favour  neither,  but  treat  all  alike.  I  havo 
always  heard  that  the  tyranny  of  numbers  was  the  worst 
tyranny  in  the  world." 

"  Perhaps  it  is,  where  there  is  actually  tyranny,  and  for 
a  very  obvious  reason.  One  tyrant  is  sooner  satisfied  than 
a  million,  and  has  even  a  greater  sense  of  responsibility.  I 
can  easily  conceive  that  the  Czar  himself,  if  disposed  to  be 
a  tyrant,  which  I  am  far  from  thinking  to  be  the  case  with 
Nicholas,  might  hesitate  about  doing  that,  under  his  undi 
vided  responsibility,  which  one  of  our  majorities  would  do, 
without  even  being  conscious  of  the  oppression  it  exercised, 
or  caring  at  all  about  it.  But,  on  the  whole,  we  do  little  of 
the  last,  and  not  in  the  least  enough  to  counterbalance  the 
immense  advantages  of  the  system." 

"  I  have  heard  very  discreet  men  say  that  the  worst  symp 
tom  of  our  system  is  the  gradual  decay  of  justice  among 
us.  The  judges  have  lost  most  of  their  influence,  and  the 
jurors  are  getting  to  be  law-makers,  as  well  as  law 
breakers." 

"  There  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  that,  I  will  acknow- 
ledge,  also ;  and  you  hear  it  asked  constantly,  in  a  case  of 
any  interest,  not  which  party  is  in  the  right,  but  who  is  on 
the  jury.  But  I  contend  for  no  perfection ;  all  I  say  is,  that 


THE    REDSKINS.  19 

he  country  is  a  glorious  country,  and  that  you  and  I  have 
every  reason  to  be  proud  that  old  Hugh  Roger,  our  prede 
cessor  and  namesake,  saw  fit  to  transplant  himself  into  it,  a 
century  and  a  half  since." 

"  I  dare  say  now,  uncle  Ro,  it  would  strike  most  Euro 
peans  as  singular  that  a  man  should  be  proud  of  having 
been  born  an  American— Manhattanese,  as  you  and  I  both 
were." 

"All  that  may  be  true,  for  there  have  been  calculated 
attempts  to  bring  us  into  discredit  of  late,  by  harping  on  the 
failure  of  certain  States  to  pay  the  interest  on  their  debts. 
But  all  that  is  easily  answered,  and  more  so  by  you  and  me 
as  New  Yorkers.  There  is  not  a  nation  in  Europe  that 
would  pay  its  interest,  if  those  who  are  taxed  to  do  so  had 
the  control  of  these  taxes,  and  the  power  to  say  whether 
they  were  to  be  levied  or  not." 

"  I  do  not  see  how  that  mends  the  matter.  These  coun 
tries  tell  us  that  such  is  the  effect  of  your  system  there, 
while  we  are  too  honest  to  allow  such  a  system  to  exist  in 
this  part  of  the  world." 

"  Pooh !  all  gammon,  that.  They  prevent  the  existence 
of  our  system  for  very  different  reasons,  and  they  coerce 
the  payment  of  the  interest  on  their  debts  that  they  may 
borrow  more.  This  business  of  repudiation,  as  it  is  called, 
however,  has  been  miserably  misrepresented  ;  and  there  is 
no  answering  a  falsehood  by  an  argument.  No  American 
State  has  repudiated  its  debt,  that  I  know  of,  though  several 
have  been  unable  to  meet  their  engagements  as  they  have 
fallen  due." 

"Unable,  uncle  Ro?" 

"  Yes,  unable — that  is  the  precise  word.  Take  Pennsyl 
vania,  for  instance ;  that  is  one  of  the  richest  communities 
in  the  civilized  world ;  its  coal  and  iron  alone  would  make 
any  country  affluent,  and  a  portion  of  its  agricultural  popu 
lation  is  one  of  the  most  affluent  I  know  of.  Nevertheless, 
Pennsylvania,  owing  to  a  concurrence  of  events,  could  not 
pay  the  interest  on  her  debt  for  two  years  and  a  half,  though 
she  is  doing  it  now,  and  will  doubtless  continue  to  do  it. 
The  sudden  breaking  down  of  that  colossal  moneyed  institu 
tion,  the  soi-disant  Bank  of  the  United  States,  after  it  ceased 
to  be  in  reality  a  bank  of  the  government,  brought  about 


20  THE     REDSKINS. 

such  a  state  of  the  circulation  as  rendered  payment,  by  any 
of  the  ordinary  means  known  to  government,  impossible. 
I  know  what  I  say,  and  repeat  impossible.  It  is  well  known 
that  many  persons,  accustomed  to  affluence,  had  to  carry 
their  plate  to  the  mint,  in  order  to  obtain  money  to  go  to 
market.  Then  something  may  be  attributed  to  the  institu 
tions,  without  disparaging  a  people's  honesty.  Our  institu 
tions  are  popular,  just  as  those  of  France  are  the  reverse; 
and  the  people,  they  who  were  on  the  spot — the  home  cre 
ditor,  with  his  account  unpaid,  and  with  his  friends  and 
relatives  in  the  legislature,  and  present  to  aid  him,  contend 
ed  for  his  own  money,  before  any  should  be  sent  abroad." 
"  Was  that  exactly  right,  sir?" 

"  Certainly  not ;  it  was  exactly  wrong,  but  very  particu 
larly  natural.  Do  you  suppose  the  King  of  France  would 
not  lake  the  money  for  his  civil  list,  if  circumstances  should 
compel  the  country  to  suspend  on  the  debt  for  a  year  or 
two,  or  the  ministers  their  salaries?  My  word  for  it,  each 
and  all  of  them  would  prefer  themselves  as  creditors,  and 
act  accordingly.  Every  one  of  these  countries  has  sus 
pended  in  some  form  or  other,  and  in  many  instances  ba 
lanced  the  account  with  the  sponge.  Their  clamour  against 
us  is^altogether  calculated  with  a  view  to  political  effect." 

"  Still,  I  wish  Pennsylvania,  for  instance,  had  continued 
to  pay,  at  every  hazard." 

"  It  is  well  enough  to  wish,  Hugh  ;  but  it  is  wishing  for 
an  impossibility.  Then  you  and  I,  as  New  Yorkers,  have 
nothing  to  do  with  the  debt  of  Pennsylvania,  no  more  than 
London  would  have  to  do  with  the  debt  of  Dublin  or  Que 
bec.  We  have  always  paid  our  interest,  and,  what  is  more, 
paid  it  more  honestly,  if  honesty  be  the  point,  than  even 
i^ngland  has  paid  hers.  When  our  banks  suspended,  the 
State  paid  its  interest  in  as  much  paper  as  would  buy  the 
specie  in  open  market ;  whereas  England  made  paper  legal 
tender,  and  paid  the  interest  on  her  debt  in  it  for  something 
like  five-and-twenty  years,  and,  that,  too,  when  her  paper 
was  at  a  large  discount.  I  knew  of  one  American  who 
held  near  a  million  of  dollars  in  the  English  debt,  on  which 
he  had  to  take  unconvertible  paper  for  the  interest  for  a  long 
series  of  years.  No,  no  !  this  is  all  gammon,  Hu<rh,  and 
is  not  to  be  regarded  as  making  us  a  whit  worse  than  out 


THE     REDSKINS.  21 

neighbours.  The  equality  of  our  laws  is  the  fact  in  which 
I  glory  !" 

"  If  the  rich  stood  as  fair  a  chance  as  the  poor,  unile 
Ro." 

"  There  is  a  screw  loose  there,  I  must  confess ;  but  it 
amounts  to  no  great  matter." 

"  Then  the  late  bankrupt  law  ?" 

"Ay,  that  wa^  an  infernal  procedure — that  much  I  will 
acknowledge,  too.  It  was  special  legislation  enacted  to  pay 
particular  debts,  and  the  law  was  repealed  as  soon  as  it  had 
done  its  duty.  That  is  a  much  darker  spot  in  our  history 
than  what  is  called  repudiation,  though  perfectly  honest  men 
voted  for  it." 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  farce  they  got  up  about  it  at 
New  York,  just  after  we  sailed  ?" 

"Never;  what  was  it,  Hugh?  though  American  plays 
are  pretty  much  all  farces." 

"  This  was  a  little  better  than  common,  and,  orr  the 
whole,  really  clever.  It  is  the  old  story  of  Faust,  in  which 
a  young  spendthrift  sells  himself,  soul  and  body,  to  the 
devil.  On  a  certain  evening,  as  he  is  making  merry  with 
a  set  of  wild  companions,  his  creditor  arrives,  and,  insisting 
on  seeing  t^e  master,  is  admitted  by  the  servant.  He 
comes  on,  club-footed  and  behorned,  as  usual,  and  betai'ed, 
too,  I  believe ;  but  Tom  is  not  to  be  scared  by  trifles.  He 
insists  on  his  guest's  being  seated,  on  his  taking  a  glass  of 
wine,  and  then  on  Dick's  finishing  his  song.  But,  though 
the  rest  of  the  company  had  signed  no  bonds  to  Satan,  they 
had  certain  outstanding  book-debts,  which  made  them  exces 
sively  uncomfortable;  and  the  odour  of  brimstone  being 
rather  strong,  Tom  arose,  approached  his  guest,  and  desired 
to  know  the  nature  of  the  particular  business  he  had  men 
tioned  to  his  servant.  '  This  bond,  sir,'  said  Satan,  signifi 
cantly.  «  This  bond?  what  of  it,  pray  ?  It  seems  all  right.' 
*Is  not  that  your  signature1?'  'I  admit  it.'  *  Signed  in 
your  blood  ?'  <A  conceit  of  your  own ;  I  told  you  at  the 
lime  that  ink  was  just  as  good  in  law.'  '  It  is  past  due, 
seven  minutes  and  fourteen  seconds.'  *  So  it  is,  I  declare! 
but  what  of  that  ?'  *  I  demand  payment.'  '  Nonsense  ! 
no  one  thinks  of  paying  now-a-days.  Why,  even  Pennsyl 
vania  and  Maryland  don't  pay.'  *I  insist  on  payment. 


22  THE    REDSKIN  8. 

<  Oh !  you  do,  do  you  ?'  Tom  draws  a  paper  from  his 
pocket,  and  adds,  magnificently,  4  There,  then,  if  you  're  so 
urgent — there  is  a  discharge  under  the  new  bankrupt  law, 
signed  Smith  Thompson.'  This  knocked  the  devil  into  a 
cocked-hat  at  once." 

My  uncle  laughed  heartily  at  my  story  ;  but,  instead  of 
taking  the  matter  as  I  had  fancied  he  might,  it  made  him 
think  better  of  the  country  than  ever. 

"  Well,  Hugh,  we  have  wit  among  us,  it  must  be  con 
fessed,"  he  cried,  with  the  tears  running  down  his  cheeks, 
"  if  we  have  some  rascally  laws,  and  some  rascals  to  admi 
nister  them.  But  here  comes  Jacob  with  his  letters  and 
papers — I  declare,  the  fellow  has  a  large  basket-full." 

Jacob,  a  highly  respectable  black,  and  the  great-grandson 
of  an  old  negro  named  Jaaf,  or  Top,  who  was  then  living 
on  my  own  estate  at  Ravensnest,  had  just  then  entered,  with 
the  porter  and  himself  lugging  in  the  basket  in  question. 
There  were  several  hundred  newspapers,  and  quite  a  hun 
dred  letters.  The  sight  brought  home  and  America  clearly 
and  vividly  before  us ;  and,  having  nearly  finished  the  des 
sert,  we  rose  to  look  at  the  packages.  It  was  no  small  task 
to  sort  our  mail,  there  being  so  many  letters  and  packages 
to  be  divided.  » 

"  Here  are  some  newspapers  I  never  saw  before,"  said 
my  uncle,  as  he  tumbled  over  the  pile ;  " « The  Guardian 
of  the  Soil' — that  must  have  something  to  do  with  Oregon." 

"  I  dare  say  it  has,  sir.  Here  are  at  least  a  dozen  letters 
from  my  sister." 

"Ay,  your  sister  is  single,  and  can  still  think  of  her  bro 
ther  ;  but  mine  are  married,  and  one  letter  a-year  would  be 
a  great  deal.  This  is  my  dear  old  mother's  hand,  however  ; 
that  is  something.  Ursula  Malbone  would  never  forget  her 
child.  Well,  bon  soir,  Hugh.  Each  of  us  has  enough  to 
do  for  one  evening." 

"Au  revoir,  sir.  We  shall  meet  at  ten  to-morrow,  when 
we  can  compare  our  news,  and  exchange  gossip." 


THE    REDSKINS.  23 


CHAPTER  II. 

«  Why  droops  my  lord,  like  over-ripen'd  corn, 
Hanging  the  head  at  Ceres'  plenteous  load?" 

King  Henry  VI. 

[  DID  not  get  into  my  bed  that  night  until  two,  nor  was  I 
ou  of  it  until  half-past  nine.  It  was  near  eleven  when 
Jacob  came  to  tell  me  his  master  was  in  the  salle  a  manger, 
and  ready  to  eat  his  breakfast.  I  hastened  up  stairs,  sleep 
ing  in  the  entresol,  and  was  at  table  with  my  uncle  in  three 
minutes.  I  observed,  on  entering,  that  he  was  very  grave, 
and  I  now  perceived  that  a  couple  of  letters,  and  several 
American  newspapers,  lay  near  him.  His  "  Good  morrow, 
Hugh,"  was  kind  and  affectionate  as  usual,  but  I  fancied  it 
sad. 

"  No  bad  news  from  home,  I  hope,  sir !"  I  exclaimed 
under  the  first  impulse  of  feeling.  "  Martha's  last  letter  is 
of  quite  recent  date,  and  she  writes  very  cheerfully.  I  know 
that  my  grandmother  was  perfectly  well,  six  weeks  since." 

"  I  know  the  same,  Hugh,  for  I  have  a  letter  from  her 
self,  written  with  her  own  blessed  hand.  My  mother  is  in 
excellent  health  for  a  woman  of  fourscore ;  but  she  natu 
rally  wishes  to  see  us,  and  you  in  particular.  Grandchil 
dren  are  ever  the  pets  with  grandmothers." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  all  this,  sir ;  for  I  was  really  afraid, 
on  entering  the  room,  that  you  had  received  some  unplea 
sant  news." 

"And  is  all  your  news  pleasant,  after  so  long  a  silence?" 

"  Nothing  that  is  disagreeable,  I  do  assure  you.  Patt 
writes  in  charming  spirits,  and  I  dare  say  is  in  blooming 
beauty  by  this  time,  though  she  tells  me  that  she  is  gene 
rally  thought  rather  plain.  That  is  impossible;  for  you 
know  when  we  left  her,  at  fifteen,  she  had  every  promise  of 
great  beauty." 

"As  you  say,  it  is  impossible  that  Martha  Littlepage 
should  be  anything  but  handsome;  for  fifteen  is  an  age 
when,  in  America,  one  may  safely  predict  the  woman's  ap- 


24  THE    REDSKINS. 

pearance.  Your  sister  is  preparing  for  you  an  agreo*iHle 
surprise.  I  have  heard  old  persons  say  that  she  was  very 
like  my  mother  at  the  same  time  of  life ;  and  Dus  Malbone 
was  a  sort  of  toast  once  in  the  forest." 

"  I  dare  say  it  is  all  as  you  think ;  more  especially  as 
there  are  several  allusions  to  a  certain  Harry  Beekman  in 
ner  letters,  at  which  I  should  feel  flattered,  were  I  in  Mr. 
Harry's  place.  Do  you  happen  to  know  anything  of  such 
a  family  as  the  Beekmans,  sir  ?" 

My  uncle  looked  up  in  a  little  surprise  at  ihis  question. 
A  thorough  New  Yorker  by  birth,  associations,  alliances 
and  feelings,  he  held  all  the  old  names  of  the  colony  and 
State  in  profound  respect ;  and  I  had  often  heard  him  sneer 
at  the  manner  in  which  the  new-comers  of  my  day,  who 
had  appeared  among  us  to  blossom  like  the  rose,  scattered 
their  odours  through  the  land.  It  was  but  a  natural  thing 
that  a  community  which  had  grown  in  population,  in  half  a 
century,  from  half  a  million  to  two  millions  and  a  half,  and 
that  as  much  by  immigration  from  adjoining  communities 
as  by  natural  increase,  should  undergo  some  change  of  feel 
ing  in  this  respect ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  just  as 
natural  that  the  true  New  Yorker  should  not. 

"  Of  course  you  know,  Hugh,  that  it  is  an  ancient  and 
respected  name  among  us,"  answered  my  uncle,  after  he 
had  given  me  the  look  of  surprise  I  have  already  mentioned. 
"  There  is  a  branch  of  the  Beekmans,  or  Bakemans,  as  we 
used  to  call  them,  settled  near  Satanstoe;  and  I  dare  say 
that  your  sister,  in  her  frequent  visits  to  my  mother,  has 
met  with  them.  The  association  would  be  but  natural ;  and 
the  other  feeling  to  which  you  allude  is,  I  dare  say,  but 
natural  to  the  association,  though  I  cannot  say  I  ever  expe 
rienced  it." 

"  You  will  still  adhere  to  your  asseverations  of  never 
having  been  the  victim  of  Cupid,  I  find,  sir." 

"  Hugh,  Hugh !  let  us  trifle  no  more.  There  is  news 
from  home  that  has  almost  broken  my  heart." 

I  sat  gazing  at  my  uncle  in  .wonder  and  alarm,  while  ho 
placed  both  his  hands  on  his  face,  as  if  to  exclude  this 
wicked  world,  and  all  it  contained,  from  his  sight.  I  did 
not  speak,  for  I  saw  that  the  old  gentleman  was  really 
affected,  but  waited  his  pleasure  to  communicate  more.  My 


THE     REDSKINS.  25 

impatience  was  soon  relieved,  however,  as  the  hands  were 
removed,  and  I  once  more  caught  a  view  of  my  uncle's 
handsome,  but  clouded  countenance. 

"  May  I  ask  the  nature  of  this  news  ?"  I  then  ventured  to 
inquire. 

"  You  may,  and  I  shall  now  tell  you.  It  is  proper,  in 
deed,  that  you  should  hear  all,  and  understand  it  all ;  for 
you  have  a  direct  interest  in  the  matter,  and  a  large  portion 
of  your  property  is  dependent  on  the  result.  Had  not  the 
manor  troubles,  as  they  were  called,  been  spoken  of  before 
we  left  home  ?" 

"  Certainly,  though  not  to  any  great  extent.  We  saw 
something  of  it  in  the  papers,  I  remember,  just  before  we 
went  to  Russia ;  and  I  recollect  you  mentioned  it  as  a  dis 
creditable  affair  to  the  State,  though  likely  to  lead  to  no  very 
important  result." 

"  So  I  then  thought ;  but  that  hope  has  been  delusive. 
There  were  some  reasons  why  a  population  like  ours  should 
chafe  under  the  situation  of  the  estate  of  the  late  Patroon 
that  I  thought  natural,  though  unjustifiable ;  for  it  is  urihnr 
oily  too  much  a  law  of  humanity  to  do  that  which  is  wrorv 
more  especially  in  matters  connected  with  the  pocket." 

"  I  do  not  exactly  understand  your  allusion,  sir." 

"It  is  easily  explained.  The  Van  Rensselaer  property 
is,  in  the  first  place,  of  great  extent — the  manor,  as  it  is 
still  called  and  once  was,  spreading  east  and  west  eight-and- 
forty  miles,  and  north  and  south  twenty-four.  With  a  few 
immaterial  exceptions,  including  the  sites  of  three  or  four 
towns,  three  of  which  are  cities  containing  respectively  six, 
twenty  an<3  forty  thousand  souls,  this  large  surface  was  the 
property  of  a  single  individual.  Since  his  death,  it  has 
become  tb«  property  of  two,  subject  to  the  conditions  of  the 
leases,  of  which  by  far  the  greater  portion  are  what  are 
called  du^ble." 

"  I  ha'ie  heard  all  this,  of  course,  sir,  and  know  some 
thing  of  it  myself.  But  what  is  a  durable  lease  1  for  I  be 
lieve  we  have  none  of  that  nature  at  Ravensnest." 

"  No ;  your  leases  are  all  for  three  lives,  and  most  of 
them  renewals  at  that.  There  are  two  sorts  of  '  durable 
leases,'  a.i  we  term  them,  in  use  among  the  landlords  of 
New  Yu*c.  Both  give  the  tenant  a  permanent  interest 

3 


26  THE     REDSKINS. 

being  leases  for  ever,  reserring  an  annual  rent,  with  the 
right  to  distrain,  and  covenants  of  re-entry.  But  one  clasa 
of  these  leases  gives  tho  tenant  a  right  at  any  time  to  de 
mand  a  deed  in  fee-simple,  on  the  payment  of  a  stipulated 
sum ;  while  the  other  gives  him  no  such  privilege.  Thus 
one  class  of  these  leases  is  called  *  a  durable  lease  with  a 
clause  of  redemption  ;'  while  the  other  is  a  simple  *  durable 
lease/ V 

"And  are  there  any  new  difficulties  in  relation  to  the 
manor  rents  ?" 

"  Far  worse  than  that ;  the  contagion  has  spread,  until 
the  greatest  ills  that  have  been  predicted  from  democratic 
institutions,  by  their  worst  enemies,  seriously  menace  the 
country.  I  am  afraid,  Hugh,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  call 
New  York,  any  longer,  an  exception  to  the  evil  example  of 
a  neighbourhood,  or  the  country  itself  a  glorious  country." 

"  This  is  so- serious,  sir,  that,  were  it  not  that  your  looks 
denote  the  contrary,  I  might  be  disposed  to  doubt  your 
words." 

14 1  fear  my  words  are  only  too  true.  Dunning  has  writ- 
ler  me  a  long  account  of  his  own,  made  out  with  the  pre 
cision  of  a  lawyer ;  and,  in  addition,  he  has  sent  me  divers 
papers,  some  of  which  openly  contend  for  what  is  substan 
tially  a  new  division  of  property,  and  what  in  effect  would 
be  agrarian  laws." 

"  .Surely,  my  dear  uncle,  you  cannot  seriously  apprehend 
anything  of  that  nature  from  our  order-loving,  law-loving, 
property-loving  Americans  !" 

"  Your  last  description  may  contain  the  secret  of  the 
whole  movement.  The  love  of  property  may  be  so  strong 
as  to  induce  them  to  do  a  great  many  things  they  ought  not 
to  do.  I  certainly  do  not  apprehend  that  any  direct  attempt 
is  about  to  be  made,  in  New  York,  to  divide  its  property; 
nor  do  1  fear  any  open,  declared  agrarian  statute ;  for  what 
I  apprehend  is  to  come  through  indirect  and  gradual  inno 
vations  on  the  right,  that  will  be  made  to  assume  the  delu 
sive  aspect  of  justice  and  equal  rights,  and  thus  undermine 
tho  principles  of  the  people,  before  they  are  aware  of  the 
danger  themselves.  In  order  that  you  may  not  only  under- 
stand  me,  but  may  understand  facts  that  are  of  the  last 
importance  to  your  own  pocket,  I  will  first  tell  you  whal 


THE     REDSKINS.  27 

has  been  done,  and  then  tell  you  what  I  fear  is  to  follow. 
The  first  difficulty — or,  rather,  the  first  difficulty  of  recent 
occurrence — arose  at  the  death  of  the  late  Patroon.  I  say 
of  recent  occurrence,  since  Dunning  writes  me  that,  during 
the  administration  of  John  Jay,  an  attempt  to  resist  the 
payment  of  rent  was  made  on  the  manor  of  the  Living 
stons  ;  but  he  put  it  down  instanter." 

11  Yes,  I  should  rather  think  that  roguery  would  not  be 
apt  to  prosper,  while  the  execution  of  the  laws  was  entrusted 
to  such  a  man.  The  age  of  such  politicians,  however, 
seems  to  have  ended  among  us." 

"  It  did  no*t  prosper.  Governor  Jay  met  the  pretension 
as  we  all  know  such  a  man  would  meet  it;  and  the  matter 
died  away,  and  has  been  nearly  forgotten.  It  is  worthy  of 
remark,  that  he  TUT  THE  EVIL  DOWN.  But  this  is  not  the 
age  of  John  Jays.  To  proceed  to  my  narrative  :  When  the 
late  Patroon  died,  there  was  due  to  him  a  sum  of  something 
like  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  of  back-rents,  and  of 
which  he  had  made  a  special  disposition  in  his  will,  vesting 
the  money  in  trustees  for  a  certain  purpose.  It  was  the 
attempt  to  collect  this  money  which  first  gave  rise  to  dissa 
tisfaction.  Those  who  had  been  debtors  so  long,  were 
reluctant  to  pay.  In  casting  round  for  the  means  to  escape 
from  the  payment  of  their  just  debts,  these  men,  feeling  the 
power  that  numbers  ever  give  over  right  in  America,  com 
bined  to  resist  with  others  who  again  had  in  view  a  project 
to  get  rid  of  the  rents  altogether.  Out  of  this  combination 
grew  what  have  been  called  the  *  manor  troubles.'  Men 
appeared  in  a  sort  of  mock-Indian  dress,  calico  shirts 
thrown  over  their  other  clothes,  and  with  a  species  of  calico 
masks  on  their  faces,  who  resisted  the  bailiffs'  processes, 
and  completely  prevented  the  collection  of  rents.  These 
men  were*  armed,  mostly  with  rifles ;  and  it  was  finally 
found  necessary  to  call  out  a  strong  body  of  the  militia,  in 
order  to  protect  the  civil  officers  in  the  execution  of  their 
duties." 

"All  this  occurred  before  we  went  to  the  East.  I  had 
supposed  those  anti-renters,  as  they  were  called,  had  been 
effectually  put  down." 

"  In  appearance  they  were.  But  the  very  governor  wha 
called  the  militia  into  the  field,  referred  the  subject  of  the 


28  THE     REDSKINS. 

''griefs'  of  the  tenants  to  the  legislature,  as  if  they 
actually  aggrieved  citizens,  when  in  truth  it  was  the  land 
lords,  or  the  Rensselaers,  for  at  that  time  the  '  troubles'  were 
confined  to  their  property,  who  were  the  aggrieved  parties. 
This  false  step  has  done  an  incalculable  amount  of  mischief, 
if  it  do  not  prove  the  entering  wedge  to  rive  asunder  the 
institutions  of  the  State." 

"  It  is  extraordinary,  when  such  things  occur,  that  any 
man  can  mistake  his  duty.  Why  were  the  tenants  thus 
spoken  of,  while  nothing  was  said  beyond  what  the  law 
compelled  in  favour  of  the  landlords  ?" 

"  I  can  see  no  reason  but  the  fact  that  the  Rensselaers 
were  only  two,  and  that  the  disaffected  tenants  were  proba 
bly  two  thousand.  With  all  the  cry  of  aristocracy,  and 
feudality,  and  nobility,  neither  of  the  Rensselaers,  by  the 
letter  of  the  law,  has  one  particle  more  of  political  power, 
or  political  right,  than  his  own  coachman  or  footman,  if  the 
last  be  a  white  man  ;  while,  in  practice,  he  is  in  many  things 
getting  to  be  less  protected." 

"  Then  you  think,  sir,  that  this  matter  has  gained  force 
from  the  circumstance  that  so  many  votes  depend  on  it  ?" 

"  Out  of  all  question.  Its  success  depends  on  the  viola 
tions  of  principles  that  we  have  been  so  long  taught  to  hold 
sacred,  that  nothing  short  of  the  over-ruling  and  corrupting 
influence  of  politics  would  dare  to  assail  them.  If  there 
were  a  landlord  to  each  farm,  as  well  as  a  tenant,  universal 
indifference  would  prevail  as  to  the  griefs  of  the  tenants ; 
and  if  two  to  one  tenant,  universal  indignation  at  their 
impudence." 

"Of  what  particular  griefs  do  the  tenants  complain?" 
"  You  mean  the  Rensselaer  tenants,  I  suppose  ?     Wrhy, 
they  complain  of  such  covenants  as  they  can,  though  their 
deepest  affliction  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  they  do  not 
own  other  men's  lands.     The  Patroon  had  quarter  sales  on 
many  of  his  farms — those  that  were  let  in  the  last  century." 
"  Well,  what  of  that?     A  bargain   to  allow  of  quarter 
sales  is  just  as  fair  as  any  other  bargain." 

"  It  is  fairer,  in  fact,  than  most  bargains,  when  you  come 
to  analyze  it,  since  there  is  a  very  good  reason  why  it  should 
accompany  a  perpetual  lease.  Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  a 
'andlord  has  no  interest  in  the  character  and  habits  of  his 


THE     REDSKINS.  29 

tenants  ?  He  has  the  closest  interest  in  it  possible,  and  no 
prudent  man  should  let  his  lands  without  holding  some  sort 
of  control  over  the  assignment  of  leases.  Now,  there  are 
but  two  modes  of  doing  this ;  either  by  holding  over  the 
tenant  a  power  through  his  interests,  or  a  direct  veto  de 
pendent  solely  on  the  landlord's  will." 

"  The  last  would  be  apt  to  raise  a  pretty  cry  of  tyranny 
and  feudality  in  America  !" 

"  Pretty  cries  on  such  subjects  are  very  easily  raised  in 
America.  More  people  join  in  them  than  understand. what 
they  mean.  Nevertheless,  it  is  quite  as  just,  when  two  men 
bargain,  that  he  who  owns  every  right  in  the  land  before 
the  bargain  is  made,  should  retain  this  right  over  his  pro 
perty,  which  he  consents  to  part  with  only  with  limitations, 
as  that  he  should  grant  it  to  another.  These  men,  in  their 
clamour,  forget  that,  until  their  leases  were  obtained,  they 
had  no  right  in  their  lands  at  all,  and  that  what  they  have 
got  is  through  those  very  leases  of  which  they  complain ; 
take  away  the  leases,  and  they  would  have  no  rights  re 
maining.  Now,  on  what  principle  can  honest  men  pretend 
that  they  have  rights  beyond  the  leases  ?  On  the  supposi 
tion,  even,  that  the  bargains  are  hard,  what  have  governors 
and  legislators  to  do  with  thrusting  themselves  in  between 
parties  so  situated,  as  special  umpires  1  I  should  object  to 
such  umpires,  moreover,  on  the  general  and  controlling 
principle  that  must  govern  all  righteous  arbitration — your 
governors  and  legislators  are  not  impartial ;  they  are  poli 
tical  or  party  men,  one  may  say,  without  exception ;  and 
such  umpires,  when  votes  are  in  the  question,  are  to  be 
sorely  distrusted.  I  would  as  soon  trust  my  interests  to  the 
decision  of  feed  counsel,  as  trust  them  to  such  judges." 

"  I  wonder  the  really  impartial  and  upright  portion  of  the 
community  do  not  rise  in  their  might,  and  put  this  thing 
down — rip  it  up,  root  and  branch,  and  cast  it  away,  at 
once." 

"  That  is  the  weak  point  of  our  system,  which  has  a  hun 
dred  strong  points,  while  it  has  this  besetting  vice.  Our 
laws  are  not  only  made,  but  they  are  administered,  on  the 
supposition  that  there  are  both  honesty  and  intelligence 
enough  in  the  body  of  the  community  to  see  them  well 
made,  and  well  administered.  But  the  sad  reality  shows 
3* 


30  THE     REDSKINS. 

that  good  men  are  commonly  passive,  until  abuses  become 
intolerable  ;  it  being  the  designing  rogue  and  manager  who 
is  usually  the  most  active.  Vigilant  philanthropists  do  exist, 
I  will  allow ;  but  it  is  in  such  small  numbers  as  to  effect 
little  on  the  whole,  and  nothing  at  all  when  opposed  by  the 
zeal  of  a  mercenary  opposition.  No,  no — little  is  ever  to 
be  expected,,  in  a  political  sense,  from  the  activity  of  virtue; 
while  a  great  deal  may  be  looked  for  from  the  activity  of 
vice." 

"  You  do  not  take  a  very  favourable  view  of  humanity, 
sir." 

"  I  speak  of  the  world  as  I  have  found  it  in  both  hemi 
spheres,  or,  as  your  neighbour  the  magistrate  'Squire  New- 
come  has  it,  the  i  four  hemispheres.'  Our  representation  is, 
at  the  best,  but  an  average  of  the  qualities  of  the  whole 
community,  somewhat  lessened  by  the  fact  that  men  of  real 
merit  have  taken  a  disgust  at  a  state  of  things  that  is  not 
very  tempting  to  their  habits  or  tastes.  As  for  a  quarter 
sale,  I  can  see  no  more  hardship  in  it  than  there  is  in  pay 
ing  the  rent  itself;  and,  by  giving  the  landlord  this  check 
on  the  transfer  ci'  his  lands,  he  compels  a  compromise  that 
maintains  what  is  just.  The  tenant  is  not  obliged  to  sell, 
and  he  makes  his  conditions  accordingly,  when  he  has  a 
good  tenant  to  offer  in  his  stead.  When  he  offers  a  bad 
tenant,  he  ought  to  pay  for  it." 

"  Many  persons  with  us  would  think  it  very  aristocratic," 
I  cried,  laughingly,  "  that  a  landlord  should  have  it  in  his 
power  te>  say,  I  "will  not  accept  this  or  that  substitute  for 
yourself." 

"  It  is  just  as  aristocratic,  and  no  more  so,  than  it  would 
be  to  put  it  in  the  power  of  the  tenant  to  say  to  the  landlord, 
you  shall  accept  this  or  that  tenant  at  my  hands.  The 
covenant  of  the  quarter  sale  gives  each  party  a  control  in 
the  matter ;  and  the  result  has  ever  been  a  compromise  that 
is  perfectly  fair,  as  it  is  hardly  possible  that  the  circum 
stance  should  have  been  overlooked  in  making  the  bargain ; 
and  he  who  knows  anything  of  such  matters,  knows  that 
every  exaction  of  this  sort  is  always  considered  in  the 
rent.  As  for  feudality,  so  long  as  the  power  to  alienate 
exists  at  all  in  the  tenant,  he  does  not  hold  by  a  feudal 
tenure.  He  has  bought  himself  from  all  such  tenures  by 


THE     REDSKINS. 

his  covenant  of  quarter  sale ;  and  it  onl}  remains  to  say 
whether,  having  agreed  to  such  a  bargain  in  order  to  obtain 
this  advantage,  he  should  pay  the  stipulated  price  or  not." 

«  I  understand  you,  sir.  It  is  easy  to  come  at  the  equity 
of  this  matter,  if  one  will  only  go  back  to  the  original  facts 
*vhich  colour  it.  The  tenant  had  no  rights  at  all  until  he 
got  his  lease,  and  can  have  no  rights  which  that  lease  does 
not  confer." 

"  Then  the  cry  is  raised  of  feudal  privileges,  because 
some  of  the  Rensselaer  tenants  are  obliged  to  find  so  many 
days'  work  with  their  teams,  or  substitutes,  to  the  landlord, 
and  even  because  they  have  to  pay  annually  a  pair  of  fat 
fowls !  We  have  seen  enough  of  America,  Hugh,  to  know 
that  most  husbandmen  would  be  delighted  to  have  the  privi 
lege  of  paying  their  debts  in  chickens  and  work,  instead  of 
in  money,  which  renders  the  cry  only  so  much  the  more 
wicked.  But  what  is  there  more  feudal  in  a  tenant's  thus 
paying  his  landlord,  than  in  a  butcher's  contracting  to  fur 
nish  so  much  meat  for  a  series  of  years,  or  a  mail  con 
tractor's  agreeing  to  carry  the  mail  in  a  four-horse  coach 
for  a  term  of  years,  eh  ?  No  one  objects  to  the  rent  in 
wheat,  and  why  should  they  object  to  the  rent  in  chickens? 
Is  it  because  our  republican  farmers  have  got  to  be  so  aris 
tocratic  themselves,  that  they  do  not  like  to  be  thought 
poulterers  ?  This  is  being  aristocratic  on  the  other  side. 
These  dignitaries  should  remember  that  if  it  be  plebeian  to 
furnish  fowls,  it  is  plebeian  to  receive  them ;  and  if  the 
tenant  has  to  find  an  individual  who  has  to  submit  to  the 
degradation  of  tendering  a  pair  of  fat  fowls,  the  landlord 
has  to  find  an  individual  who  has  to  submit  to  the  degrada 
tion  of  taking  them,  and  of  putting  them  away  in  the  larder. 
{t  seems  to  me  that  one  is  an  offset  to  the  other." 

"  But,  if  I  remember  rightly,  uncle  Ro,  these  little  mat 
ters  were  always  commuted  for  in  money." 

"  They  always  must  lie  at  the  option  of  the  tenant,  un 
less  the  covenants  went  to  forfeiture,  which  I  never  heard 
that  they  did ;  for  the  failure  to  pay  in  kind  at  the  time 
stipulated,  would  only  involve  a  payment  in  money  after 
wards.  The  most  surprising  part  of  this  whole  transaction 
is,  thai,  men  among  us  hold  the  doctrine  that  these  leasehold 
estates  are  opposed  to  our  institutions,  when,  being  guaran- 


32  THE    REDSKINS. 

tied  by  the  institutions,  they  in  truth  form  a  part  of  them. 
Were  it  not  for  these  very  institutions,  to  which  they  are 
said  to  be  opposed,  and  of  which  they  virtually  form  a  part, 
we  should  soon  have  a  pretty  kettle  offish  between  landlord 
and  tenant." 

"  How  do  you  make  it  out  that  they  form  a  part  of  the 
institutions,  sir  ?" 

"  Simply  because  the  institutions  have  a  solemn  profes 
sion  of  protecting  property.  There  is  such  a  parade  of  this* 
that  all  our  constitutions  declare  that  property  shall  never 
be  taken  without  due  form  of  law  ;  and  to  read  one  of  them, 
you  would  think  the  property  of  the  citizen-  is  held  quite  as- 
sacred  as  his  person.  Now,  some  of  these  very  tenures 
existed  whea  the  State  institutions  were  framed ;  and,  not 
satisfied  with  this,  we  of  New  York,  ia  common  with  our 
sister  States,  solemnly  prohibited  ourselves,  ia  the  constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States,  from  ever  meddling  with  them  ? 
Nevertheless,  men  are  found  hardy  enough  to  assert  that  a 
thing  which  in  fact  belongs  to  the  institutions,  is  opposed  to 
them." 

"  Perhaps  they  mean,  sir,  to  their  spirit,  or  to  their  tend 
ency." 

"Ah  \  there  may  be  some  sense  in  that,  though  much 
less  than  the  declaimers  fancy.  The  spirit  of  institutions 
is  their  legitimate  object ;  and  it  would  be  hard  to  prove 
that  a  leasehold  tenure,  with  any  conditions  of  mere  pecu 
niary  indebtedness  whatever,  is  opposed  to  any  institutions 
that  recognise  the  full  rights  of  property.  The  obligation 
to  pay  rent  no  more  creates  political  dependency,  than  to 
give  credit  from  an  ordinary  shop ;  not  so  much,  indeed, 
more  especially  under  such  leases  as  those  of  the  Rensse- 
laers ;  for  the  debtor  on  a  book-debt  can  be  sued  al  any 
noment,  whereas  the  tenant  knows  precisely  when  he  has 
•o  pay.  There  is  the  great  absurdity  of  those  who  decry 
the  system  as  feudal  and  aristocratic ;  for  they  do  not  see 
that  those  very  leases  are  more  favourable  to  the  tenant  than 
any  other." 

"  I  shall  have  to  ask  you  to  explain  this  to  me,  sir,  being 
too  ignorant  to  comprehend  it." 

"  Why,  these  leases  are  perpetual,  and  the  tenant  cannot 
be  dispossessed.  The  longer  a  lease  is,  other  things  being 


THE    REDSKINS.  33 

equal,  the  better  it  is  for  the  tenant,  all  the  world  over.  Let 
us  suppose  two  farms,  the  one  leased  for  five  years,  and  the 
other  for  ever :  Which  tenant  is  most  independent  of  the 
political  influence  of  his  landlord,  to  say  nothing  of  the  im 
possibility  of  controlling  votes  in  this  way  in  America,  from 
a  variety  of  causes  1  Certainly  he  who  has  a  lease  for  ever. 
He  is  just  as  independent  of  his  landlord,  as  his  landlord 
can  be  of  him,  with  the  exception  that  he  has  rent  to  pay. 
In  the  latter  case,  he  is  precisely  like  any  other  debtor- 
like  the  poor  man  who  contracts  debts  with  the  same  store 
keeper  for  a  series  of  years.  As  for  the  possession  of  the 
farm,  which  we  are  to  suppose  is  a  desirable  thing  for  the 
tenant,  he  of  the  long  lease  is  clearly  most  independent, 
^ince  the  other  may  be  ejected  at  the  end  of  each  five  years. 
Nor  is  there  the  least  difference  as  to  acquiring  the  property 
in  fee,  since  the  landlord  may  sell  equally  in  either  case,  if 
so  disposed  ;  and  if  NOT  DISPOSED,  NO  HONEST  HAN,  UNDER 

ANY  SYSTEM,  OUGHT  TO  DO  ANYTHING    TO    COMPEL    HIM    SO 

TO  DO,  either  directly  or  indirectly ;  AND  NO  TRULY  HONEST 

MAN  WOULD." 

I  put  some  of  the  words  of  my  uncle  Ro  in  small  capi 
tals,  as  the  spirit  of  the  times,  not  of  the  institutions,  ren 
ders  such  hints  necessary.  But,  to  continue  our  dialogue  : 

"  I  understand  you  now,  sir,  though  the  distinction  you 
make  between  the  spirit  of  the  institutions  and  their  tenden 
cies  is  what  I  do  not  exactly  comprehend." 

"  It  is  very  easily  explained.  The  spirit  of  the  institu 
tions  is  their  intention  ;  their  tendencies  is  the  natural  direc 
tion  they  take  under  the  impulses  of  human  motives,  which 
are  always  corrupt  and  corrupting.  The  '  spirit'  refers  to 
what  things  ought  to  be ;  the  '  tendencies,'  to  what  they  are, 
or  are  becoming.  The  *  spirit'  of  all  political  institutions  is 
to  place  a  check  on  the  natural  propensities  of  men,  to  re 
strain  them,  and  keep  them  within  due  bounds ;  while  the 
tendencies  follow  those  propensities,  and  are  quite  often  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  spirit.  That  this  outcry  against 
leasehold  tenures  in  America  is  following  the  tendencies  of 
our  institutions,  I  am  afraid  is  only  too  true;  but  that  it  is 
in  any  manner  in  compliance  with  their  spirit,  I  utterly 
deny." 

"  You  will  allow  that  institutions  have  their  spirit,  which 


34  THE     REDSKINS. 

ought  always  to  be  respected,  in  order  to  preserve  har 
mony  ?" 

"  Out  of  all  question.  The  first  great  requisite  of  a  poli 
tical  system  is  the  means  of  protecting  itself;  the  second,  to 
check  its  tendencies  at  the  point  required  by  justice,  wisdom 
and  good  faith.  In  a  despotism,  for  instance,  the  spirit  of 
the  system  is  to  maintain  that  one  man,  who  is  elevated 
above  the  necessities  and  temptations  of  a  nation — who  is 
solemnly  set  apart  for  the  sole  purpose  of  government,  for 
tified  by  dignity,  and  rendered  impartial  by  position — will 
rule  in  the  manner  most  conducive  to  the  true  interests  of 
his  subjects.  It  is  just  as  much  the  theory  of  Russia  and 
Prussia  that  their  monarchs  reign  not  for  their  own  good, 
but  for  the  good  of  those  over  whom  they  are  placed,  as  it 
is  the  theory  in  regard  to  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
We  all  know  that  the  tendencies  of  a  despotism  are  to  abuses 
of  a  particular  character ;  and  it  is  just  as  certain  that  the 
tendencies  of  a  republic,  or  rather  of  a  democratic  republic 
— for  republic  of  itself  means  but  little,  many  republics  hav 
ing  had  kings — but  it  is  just  as  certain  that  the  tendencies 
of  a  democracy  are  to  abuses  of  another  character.  What 
ever  man  touches,  he  infallibly  abuses  ;  and  this  more  in 
connection  with  the  exercise  of  political  power,  perhaps,  than 
in  the  management  of  any  one  interest  of  life,  though  he 
abuses  all,  even  to  religion.  Less  depends  on  the  nominal 
character  of  institutions,  perhaps,  than  on  their  ability  to 
arrest  their  own  tendencies  at  the  point  required  by  every 
thing  that  is  just  and  right.  Hitherto,  surprisingly  few 
grave  abuses  have  followed  from  our  institutions ;  but  this 
matter  looks  frightfully  serious;  for  I  have  not  told  you 
half,  Hugh." 

"  Indeed,  sir !  I  beg  you  will  believe  me  quite  equal  to 
hearing  the  worst." 

"  It  is  true,  anti-rentism  did  commence  on  the  estate  of 
the  Rensselaers,  and  with  complaints  of  feudal  tenures,  and 
of  days'  works,  and  fat  fowls,  backed  by  the  extravagantly 
aristocratic  pretension  that  a  '  manor'  tenant  was  so  much 
a  privileged  being,  that  it  was  beneath  his  dignity,  as  a  free 
man,  to  do  that  which  is  daily  done  by  mail-contractors, 
stage-coach  owners,  victuallers,  and  even  by  themselves  in 
their  passing  bargains  to  deliver  potatoes,  onions,  turkeys 


THE    REDSKINS.  35 

and  pork,  although  they  had  solemnly  covenanted  with  their 
landlords  to  pay  the  fat  fowls,  and  to  give  the  days'  works. 
The  feudal  system  has  been  found  to  extend  much  further, 
and  '  troubles,'  as  they  are  called,  have  broken  out  in  other 
parts  of  the  State.  Resistance  to  process,  and  a  cessation 
of  the  payment  of  rents,  has  occurred  on  the  Livingston 
property,  in  Hardenberg — in  short,  in  eight  or  ten  counties 
of  the  State.  Even  among  the  bondjide  purchasers,  on  the 
Holland  Purchase,  this  resistance  has  been  organized,  and 
a  species  of  troops  raised,  who  appear  disguised  and  armed 
wherever  a  levy  is  to  be  made.  Several  men  have  already 
been  murdered,  and  there  is  the  strong  probability  of  a  civil 
war." 

"  In  the  name  of  what  is  sacred  and  right,  what  has  the 
government  of  the  State  been  doing  all  this  time  ?" 

"  In  my  poor  judgment,  a  great  deal  that  it  ought  not  to 
have  done,  and  very  little  that  it  ought.  You  know  the 
state  of  politics  at  home,  Hugh ;  how  important  New  York 
is  in  all  national  questions,  and  how  nearly  tied  is  her  vote 
— less  than  ten  thousand  majority  in  a  canvass  of  near  half 
a  million  of  votes.  When  this  is  the  case,  the  least-princi 
pled  part  of  the  voters  attain  an  undue  importance — a  truth 
that  has  been  abundantly  illustrated  in  this  question.  The 
natural  course  would  have  been  to  raise  an  armed  consta 
bulary  force,  and  to  have  kept  it  in  motion,  as  the  anti- rent 
ers  have  kept  their  '  Injins'  in  motion,  which  would  have 
soon  tired  out  the  rebels,  for  rebels  they  are,  who  would  thus 
have  had  to  support  one  army  in  part,  and  the  other  altoge 
ther.  Such  a  movement  on  the  part  of  the  State,  well  and 
energetically  managed,  would  have  drawn  half  the  '  Injins' 
at  once  from  the  ranks  of  disaffection  to  those  of  authority ; 
for  all  that  most  of  these  men  want  is  to  live  easy,  and  to 
have  a  parade  of  military  movements.  Instead  of  that,  the 
legislature  substantially  did  nothing,  until  blood  was  spilt, 
and  the  grievance  had  got  to  be  not  only  profoundly  dis 
graceful  for  such  a  State  and  such  a  country,  but  utterly 
intolerable  to  the  well-affected  of  the  revolted  counties,  as 
well  as  to  those  who  were  kept  out  of  the  enjoyment  of  their 
property.  Then,  indeed,  it  passed  the  law  which  ought  to 
have  been  passed  the  first  year  of  the  *  Injin'  system — a  law 
which  renders  it  felony  to  appear  armed  and  disguised  ;  bul 


36  THE     REDSKINS. 

Dunning  writes  me  this  law  is  openly  disregarded  in  Dela 
ware  and  Schoharie,  in  particular,  and  that  bodies  of  *  In- 
jins,'  in  full  costume  and  armed,  of  a  thousand  men,  have 
appeared  to  prevent  levies  or  sales.  Where  it  will  end, 
Heaven  knows !" 

"  Do  you  apprehend  any  serious  civil  war  ?" 

"  It  is  impossible  to  say  where  false  principles  may  lead, 
when  they  are  permitted  to  make  head  and  to  become  widely 
disseminated,  in  a  country  like  ours.  Still,  the  disturbances,. 
as  such,  are  utterly  contemptible,  and  could  and  would  be  put 
down  by  an  energetic  executive  in  ten  days  after  he  had  time 
to  collect  a  force  to  do  it  with.  In  some  particulars,  the  pre 
sent  incumbent  has  behaved  perfectly  well;  while  in  others* 
in  my  judgment,  he  has  inflicted  injuries  oa  the  right  that 
it  will  require  years  to  repair,  if,  indeed,  they  are  ever  re 
paired." 

"  You  surprise  me,  sir ;  and  this  the  more  especially,  as 
I  know  you  are  generally  of  the  same  way  of  thinking,  ora 
political  subjects,  with  the  party  that  is  now  in  power." 

"  Did  you  ever  know  me  to  support  what  I  conceived  to 
be  wrong,  Hugh,  on  account  of  my  political  affinities  ?J> 
asked  my  uncle,  a  little  reproachfully  as  to  manner.  "  But 
let  me  tell  you  the  harm  that  I  conceive  has  been  done  by 
all  the  governors  who  have  had  anything  to  do  with  the 
subject ;  and  that  includes  one  of  a  party  to  which  I  am 
opposed,  and  two  that  are  not.  In  the  first  place,  they  have 
all  treated  the  matter  as  if  the  tenants  had  really  some  cause 
of  complaint ;  when  in  truth  all  their  griefs  arise  from  the 
fact  that  other  men  will  not  let  them  have  their  property 
just  as  they  may  want  it,  and  in  some  respects  on  their  own 
terms." 

"  That  is  certainly  a  grief  not  to  be  maintained  by  reason 
in  a  civilized  country,  and  in  a  Christian  community." 

"  Umph  !  Christianity,  like  liberty,  suffers-  fearfully  in 
human  hands  ;  one  is  sometimes  at  a  loss  to  recognise  either. 
I  have  seen  ministers  of  the  gospel  just  as  dogged,  just  as 
regardless  of  general  morality,  and  just  as  indifferent  to  the 
right,  in  upholding  their  parties,  as  I  ever  saw  laymen ; 
and  I  have  seen  laymen  manifesting  tempers,  in- this  respect,. 
that  properly  belong  to  devils.  But  our  goveraors  have 
certainly  treated  this  matter  as  if  the  tenants-  actually  had 


THE     REDSKINS.  37 

griefs;  when  in  truth  their  sole  oppression  is  in  being 
obliged  to  pay  rents  that  are  merely  nominal,  and  in  not 
being  able  to  buy  other  men's  property  contrary  to  their 
wishes,  and  very  much  at  their  own  prices.  One  governor 
has  even  been  so  generous  as  to  volunteer  a  mode  of  set 
tling  disputes  with  which,  by  the  way,  he  has  no  concern, 
there  being  courts  to  discharge  that  office,  that  is  singularly 
presuming  on  his  part,  to  say  the  least,  and  which  looks  a 
confounded  sight  more  like  aristocracy,  or  monarchy,  than 
anything  connected  with  leasehold  tenure." 

"  Why,  what  can  the  man  have  done  ?" 

"  He  has  kindly  taken  on  himself  the  office  of  doing  that 
for  which  I  fancy  he  can  find  no  authority  in  the  institutions, 
or  in  their  spirit — no  less  than  advising  citizens  how  they 
may  conveniently  manage  their  own  affairs  so  as  to  get 
over  difficulties  that  he  himself  substantially  admits,  while 
giving  this  very  advice,  are  difficulties  that  the  law  sanc 
tions  !" 

"  This  is  a  very  extraordinary  interference  in  a  public 
functionary ;  because  one  of  the  parties  to  a  contract  that  is 
solemnly  guarantied  by  the  law,  chooses  to  complain  of  its 
nature,  rather  than  of  its  conditions,  to  pretend  to  throw  the 
weight  of  his  even  assumed  authority  into  the  scales  on 
either  side  of  the  question  !" 

"And  that  in  a  popular  government,  Hugh,  in  which  it 
tells  so  strongly  against  a  man  to  render  him  unpopular, 
that  not  one  man  in  a  million  has  the  moral  courage  to  resist 
public  opinion,  even  when  he  is  right.  You  have  hit  the 
nail  on  the  head,  boy ;  it  is  in  the  last  degree  presuming, 
and  what  would  be  denounced  as  tyrannical  in  any  monarch 
in  Europe.  But  he  has  lived  in  vain  who  has  not  learned 
that  they  who  make  the  loudest  professions  of  a  love  of 
liberty,  have  little  knowledge  of  the  quality,  beyond  submis 
sion,  to  the  demands  of  numbers.  Our  executive  has  carried 
his  fatherly  care  even  beyond  this ;  he  has  actually  sug 
gested  the  terms  of  a  bargain  by  which  he  thinks  the  diffi 
culty  can  be  settled,  which,  in  addition  to  the  gross  assump- 
.ion  of  having  a  voice  in  a  matter  that  in  no  manner  belongs 
lo  him,  has  the  palpable  demerit  of  recommending  a  pecu 
niary  compromise  that  is  flagrantly  wrong  as  a  mere  pecu 
niary  compromise." 
4 


33  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  You  astonish  me,  sir  !  What  is  the  precise  nature  of 
his  recommendation  ?" 

"  That  the  Rensselaers  should  receive  such  a  cum  from 
each  tenant  as  would  produce  an  interest  equal  to  u.e  value 
of  the  present  rent.  Now,  in  the  first  place,  here  is  a  Citi 
zen  who  has  got  as  much  property  as  he  wants,  and  who 
wishes  to  live  for  other  purposes  than  to  accumulate.  This 
property  is  not  only  invested  to  his  entire  satisfaction,  as 
regards  convenience,  security  and  returns,  but  also  in  a  way 
that  is  connected  with  some  of  the  best  sentiments  of  his 
nature.  It  is  property  that  has  descended  to  him  through 
ancestors  for  two  centuries;  property  that  is  historically 
connected  with  his  name — on  which  he  was  born,  on  which 
he  has  lived,  and  on  which  he  has  hoped  to  die;  property, 
in  a  word,  that  is  associated  with  all  the  higher  feelings  of 
humanity.  Because  some  interloper,  perhaps,  who  has  pur 
chased  an  interest  in  one  of  his  farms  six  months  before, 
feels  an  aristocratic  desire  not  to  have  a  landlord,  and 
wishes  to  own  a  farm  in  fee,  that  in  fact  he  has  no  other 
right  to  than  he  gets  through  his  lease,  the  governor  of  the 
great  State  of  New  York  throws  the  weight  of  his  official 
position  against  the  old  hereditary  owner  of  the  soil,  by 
solemnly  suggesting,  in  an  official  document  that  is  intended 
to  produce  an  effect  on  public  opinion,  that  he  should  sell 
that  which  he  does  not  wish  to  sell,  but  wishes  to  keep,  and 
that  at  a  price  which  I  conceive  is  much  below  its  true  pe 
cuniary  value.  We  have  liberty  with  a  vengeance,  if  these 
are  some  of  its  antics  !" 

"  What  makes  the  matter  worse,  is  the  fact  that  each  of 
the  Rensselaers  has  a  house  on  his  estate,  so  placed  as  to  be 
convenient  to  look  after  his  interests ;  which  interests  he  is 
to  be  at  the  trouble  of  changing,  leaving  him  his  house  on 
his  hands,  because,  forsooth,  one  of  the  parties  to  a  plain 
and  equitable  bargain  wishes  to  make  better  conditions  than 
he  covenanted  for.  I  wonder  what  his  Excellency  proposes 
that  the  landlords  shall  do  with  their  money  when  they  get 
it  ?  Buy  new  estates,  and  build  new  houses,  of  which  to  be 
dispossessed  when  a  new  set  of  tenants  may  choose  to  cry 
out  against  aristocracy,  and  demonstrate  their  own  love  for 
democracy  by  wishing  to  pull  others  down  in  order  to  shove 
themselves  into  their  places  ?" 


THE     REDSKINS.  JU 

"  You  are  right  again,  Hugh ;  but  it  is  a  besetting  vice 
of  America  to  regard  life  as  all  means,  and  as  having  no 
end,  in  a  worldly  point  of  view.  I  dare  say  men  may  be 
found  among  us  who  regard  it  as  highly  presuming  in  any 
man  to  build  himself  an  ample  residence,  and  to  announce 
by  his  mode  of  living  that  he  is  content  with  his  present 
means,  and  does  not  wish  to  increase  them,  at  the  very  mo 
ment  they  view  the  suggestions  of  the  governor  as  the  pink 
of  modesty,  and  excessively  favourable  to  equal  rights  !  J 
like  that  thought  of  yours  about  the  house,  too ;  in  order  to 
suit  the  '  spirit'  of  the  New  York  institutions,  it  would  seem 
that  a  New  York  landlord  should  build  on  wheels,  that  he 
may  move  his  abode  to  some  new  estate,  when  it  suits  the 
pleasure  of  his  tenants  to  buy  him  out." 

"  Do  you  suppose  the  Rensselaers  would  take  their  money, 
the  principal  of  the  rent  at  seven  per  cent.,  and  buy  land 
with  it,  after  their  experience  of  the  uncertainty  of  such 
possessions  among  us  ?" 

"  Not  they,"  said  my  uncle  Ro,  laughing.  "  No,  no ' 
they  would  sell  the  Manor-House,  and  Beverwyck,  for  tav 
erns  ;  and  then  any  one  might  live  in  them  who  would  pay 
the  principal  sum  of  the  cost  of  a  dinner;  bag  their  dollars, 
and  proceed  forthwith  to  Wall  street,  and  commence  the 
shaving  of  notes — that  occupation  having  been  decided,  as 
I  see  by  the  late  arrivals,  to  be  highly  honourable  and 
praiseworthy.  Hitherto  they  have  been  nothing  but  drones ; 
but,  by  the  time  they  can  go  to  the  quick  with  their  dollars, 
they  will  become  useful  members  of  society,  and  be  honoured 
and  esteemed  accordingly." 

What  next  might  have  been  said  I  do  not  know,  for  just 
then  we  were  interrupted  by  a  visit  from  our  common 
banker,  and  the  discourse  was  necessarily  changed. 


40  THE     REDSKINS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

«  O,  when  shall  I  visit  the  land  of  my  birth, 
The  loveliest  land  on  the  face  of  the  earth  ? 
When  shall  I  those  scenes  of  affection  explore, 

Our  forests,  our  fountains, 

Our  hamlets,  our  mountains, 
With  the  pride  of  our  mountains,  the  maid  I  adore  1" 

MONTGOMEBT. 

IT  was  truly  news  for  an  American,  who  had  been  so 
long  cut  off  from  intelligence  from  home,  thus  suddenly  to 
be  told  that  some  of  the  scenes  of  the  middle  ages — scenes 
connected  with  real  wrongs  and  gross  abuses  of  human 
rights — were  about  to  be  enacted  in  his  own  land ;  that 
country  which  boasted  itself,  not  only  to  be  the  asylum 
of  the  oppressed,  but  the  conservator  of  the  right.  I  was 
grieved  at  what  I  had  heard,  for,  during  my  travels,  I  had 
cherished  a  much-loved  image  of  justice  and  political  excel 
lence,  that  I  now  began  to  fear  must  be  abandoned.  My 
uncle  and  myself  decided  at  once  to  return  home,  a  step 
that  indeed  was  required  by  prudence.  I  was  now  of  an 
age  to  enter  into  the  full  possession  of  my  own  property  (so 
far  as  *'  new  laws  and  new  lords"  would  permit) ;  and  the 
letters  received  by  my  late  guardian,  as  well  as  certain 
newspapers,  communicated  the  unpleasant  fact  that  a  great 
many  of  the  tenants  of  Ravensnest  had  joined  the  associa 
tion,  paid  tribute  for  the  support  of  "  Injins,"  and  were  get 
ting  to  be  as  bad  as  any  of  the  rest  of  them,  so  far  as 
designs  and  schemes  to  plunder  were  concerned,  though 
they  still  paid  their  rents.  The  latter  circumstance  was 
ascribed  by  our  agent  to  the  fact  that  many  leases  were 
about  to  fall  in,  and  it  would  be  in  my  power  to  substitute 
more  honest  and  better  disposed  successors  for  the  present 
occupants  of  the  several  farms.  Measures  were  taken  ac 
cordingly  for  quitting  Paris  as  soon  as  possible,  so  that  we 
might  reach  home  lato  in  the  month  of  May. 

"  If  we  had  time,  I  would  certainly  throw  in  a  memorial 
or  two  to  the  legislature,"  observed  my  uncle,  a  day  or  two 


THE    REDSKINS.    -  4l 

before  we  proceeded  to  Havre  to  join  the  packet.  "  I  have 
a  strong  desire  to  protest  against  the  invasion  of  my  rights 
as  a  freeman  that  is  connected  with  some  of  their  contem 
plated  laws.  I  do  not  at  all  like  the  idea  of  being  abridged 
of  the  power  of  hiring  a  farm  for  -the  longest  time  I  can 
obtain  it,  which  is  one  of  the  projects  of  some  of  the  ultra 
reformers  of  free  and  equal*  New  York.  It  is  wonderful 
Hugh,  into  what  follies  men  precipitate  themselves  as  soon 
as  they  begin  to  run  into  exaggerations,  whether  of  politics, 
religion,  or  tastes.  Here  are  half  of  the  exquisite  philan 
thropists  who  see  a  great  evil  affecting  the  rights  of  human 
nature  in  one  man's  hiring  a  farm  from  another  for  as  long 
a  term  as  he  can  obtain  il,  who  are  at  the  very  extreme  in 
their  opinions  on  free  trade  !  So  free-trade  are  some  of  the 
journals  which  think  it  a  capital  thing  to  prevent  landlords 
and  tenants  from  making  their  own  bargains,  that  they  have 
actually  derided  the  idea  of  having  established  fares  for 
hackney-coaches,  but  that  it  would  be  better  to  let  the  par 
ties  stand  in  the  rain  and  higgle  about  the  price,  on  the  free- 
trade  principle.  Some  of  these  men  are  either  active  agents 
in  stimulating  the  legislature  to  rob  the  citizen  of  this  very 
simple  control  of  his  property,  or  passive  lookers-on  while 
others  do  it." 

"Votes,  sir,  votes." 

"  It  is,  indeed,  votes,  sir,  votes ;  nothing  short  of  votes 
could  reconcile  these  men  to  their  own  inconsistencies.  As 
for  yourself,  Hugh,  it  might  be  well  to  get  rid  of  that  cano 
pied  pew " 

"  Of  what  canopied  pew  1  I  am  sure  I  do  not  understand 
you." 

"  Do  you  forget  that  the  family-pew  in  St.  Andrew's 
Church,  at  Ravensnest,  has  a  wooden  canopy  over  it — a 
relic  of  our  colonial  opinions  and  usages  ?" 

"  Now  you  mention  it,  I  do  remember  a  very  clumsy, 
and,  to  own  the  truth,  a  very  ugly  thing,  that  I  have  always 
supposed  was  placed  there,  by  those  who  built  the  church, 
by  way  of  ornament." 

"  That  ugly  thing,  by  way  of  ornament,  was  intended  for 
a  sort  of  canopy,  and  was  by  no  means  an  uncommon  dis 
tinction  in  the  State  and  colony,  as  recently  as  the  close  of 
the  last  century.     The  church  was  built  at  the  expense  of 
4* 


42  •     THE    REDSKINS. 

my  grandfather,  Gen.  Littiepage,  and  his  bosom  friend  and 
kinsman,  Col.  Dirck  Pollock,  both  good  Whigs  and  gallant 
defenders  of  the  liberty  of  their  country.  They  thought  it 
proper  that  the  Littlepages  should  have  a  canopied  pew,  and 
that  is  the  state  in  whLch  they  caused  the  building  to  be  pre 
sented  to  my  father.  The  old  work  still  stands ;  and  Dun 
ning  writes  me  that,  among  the  other  arguments  used  against 
your  interests,  is  the  fact  that  your  pew  is  thus  distinguished 
from  those  of  the  rest  of  the  congregation." 

"  It  is  a  distinction  no  man  would  envy  me,  could  it  bo 
known  that  I  have  ever  thought  the  clumsy,  ill-shaped  thing 
a  nuisance,  and  detestable  as  an  ornament.  I  have  never 
even  associated  it  in  my  mind  with  personal  distinction,  but 
have  always  supposed  it  was  erected  with  a  view  to  embel 
lish  the  building,  and  placed  over  our  pew  as  the  spot  where 
such  an  excrescence  would  excite  tho  least  envy." 

"  In  all  that,  with  one  exception,  you  have  judged  quite 
naturally.  Forty  years  ago,  such  a  thing  might  have  been 
done,  and  a  majority  of  the  parishioners  would  have  seen 
in  it  nothing  out  of  place.  But  that  day  has  gone  by ;  and 
you  will  discover  that,  on  your  own  estate,  and  in  the  very 
things  created  by  your  family  and  yourself,  you  will  actu 
ally  have  fewer  rights  of  any  sort,  beyond  those  your  money 
will  purchase,  than  any  man  around  you.  The  simple  fact 
that  St.  Andrew's  Church  was  built  by  your  great-grand 
father,  and  by  him  presented  to  the  congregation,  will  di 
minish  your  claim  to  have  a  voice  in  its  affairs  with  many 
of  the  congregation." 

"  This  is  so  extraordinary,  that  I  musk  ask  the  reason." 

"  The  reason  is  connected  with  a  principle  so  obviously 
belonging  to  human  nature  generally,  and  to  American 
nature  in  particular,  that  I  wonder  you  ask  it.  It  is  envy. 
Did  that  pew  belong  to  the  Newcomes,  for  instance,  no  one 
would  think  anything  of  it." 

"  Nevertheless,  the  Newcomes  would  make  themselves 
ridiculous  by  sitting  in  a  pew  that  was  distinguished  from 
those  of  their  neighbours.  The  absurdity  of  the  contrast 
would  strike  every  one." 

"  And  it  is  precisely  because  the  absurdity  does  not  exist 
in  your  case,  that  your  seat  is  envied.  No  one  envies  ab 
surdity.  However,  you  will  readily  admit,  Hugh,  that  a 


THE     REDSKINS 


43 


church,  and  a  church-yard,  are  the  two  last  places  in  which 
human  distinctions  ought  to  be  exhibited.  All  are  equal  in 
the  eyes  of  Him' we  go  to  the  one  to  worship,  and  all  are 
equal  in  the  grave.  I  have  ever  been  averse  to  everytning 
ike  worldly  distinction  in  a  congregation,  and  admire  the 
usage  of  the  Romish  Church  in  even  dispensing  with  pews 
altogether.  Monuments  speak  to  the  world,  and  have  a 
general  connexion  with  history,  so  that  they  may  be  tole 
rated  to  a  certain  point,  though  notorious  liars." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  sir,  as  to  the  unfitness  of  a  church  for 
all  distinctions,  and  shall  be  happy  on  every  account  to  get 
rid  of  my  canopy,  though  that  has  an  historical  connexion, 
also.  I  am  quite  innocent  of  any  feeling  of  pride  while  sit 
ting  under  it,  though  I  will  confess  to  some  of  shame  at  its 
quizzical  shape,  when  I  see  it  has  attracted  the  eyes  of  Intel 
ligent  strangers." 

"  It  is  but  natural  that  you  should  feel  thus ;  for,  while 
A^e  may  miss  distinctions  and  luxuries  to  which  we  have 
ever  been  accustomed,  they  rarely  excite  pride  in  the  pos 
sessor,  even  while  they  awaken  envy  in  the  looker-on." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  cannot  see  what  the  old  pew  has  to  do 
with  the  rents,  or  my  legal  rights." 

"  When  a  cause  is  bad,  everything  is  pressed  into  it  that 
it  is  believed  may  serve  a  turn.  No  man  who  had  a  good 
legal  claim  for  property,  would  ever  think  of  urging  any 
other ;  nor  would  any  legislator  who  had  sound  and  suffi 
cient  reasons  for  his  measures — reasons  that  could  properly 
justify  him  before  God  and  man  for  his  laws — have  recourse 
to  slang  to  sustain  him.  If  these  anti-renters  were  right, 
they  would  have  no  need  of  secret  combinations,  of  dis 
guises,  blood-and-thunder  names,  and  special  agents  in  the 
legislature  of  the  land.  The  right  requires  no  false  aid  to 
make  it  appear  the  right ;  but  the  wrong  must  get  such  sup 
port  as  it  can  press  into  its  service.  Your  pew  is  called 
aristocratic, though  it  confers  no  political  power;  it  is  called 
a  patent  of  nobility,  though  it  neither  gives  nor  takes  away , 
and  it  is  hated,  and  you  with  it,  for  the  very  reason  that  you 
can  sit  in  it  and  not  make  yourself  ridiculous.  I  suppose 
you  have  not  examined  very  closely  the  papers  I  gave  you 
o  read  ?" 

"  Enough  so  to  ascertain  that  they  are  filled  with  trash." 


44  THE    REDSKINS. 

*  Worse  than  trash,  Hugh ;  with  some  of  the  looses, 
principles,  and  most  atrocrous  feelings,  that  degrade  poor 
human  nature.  Some  of  the  reformers  propose  that  no  man 
shall  hold  more  than  a  thousand  acres  of  land,  while  others 
lay  down  the  very  intelligible  and  distinct  principle  that  nc 
man  ought  to  hold  more  than  he  can  use.  Even  petitions 
to  that  effect,  I  have  been  told,  have  been  sent  to  the  legis 
lature." 

"  Which  has  taken  care  not  to  allude  to  their  purport, 
either  in  debate  or  otherwise,  as  I  see  nothing  to  that  effect 
in  the  reports." 

"Ay,  I  dare  say  the  slang-whangers  of  those  honourable 
bodies  will  studiously  keep  all  such  enormities  out  of  sight, 
as  some  of  them  doubtless  hope  to  step  into  the  shoes  of  the 
present  landlords,  as  soon  as  they  can  get  the  feet  out  of 
them  which  are  now  in.  But  these  are  the  projects  and  the 
petitions  in  the  columns  of  the  journals,  and  they  speak  for 
themselves.  Among  other  things,  they  say  it  is  nobility  lo 
be  a  landlord." 

"  I  see  by  the  letter  of  Mr.  Dunning,  that  they  have  pe 
titioned  the  legislature  to  order  an  inquiry  into  my  title. 
Now,  we  hold  from  the  crown " 

"  So  much  the  worse,  Hugh.  Faugh  !  hold  from  a  crown 
in  a  republican  country  !  I  am  amazed  you  are  not  ashamed 
to  own  it.  Do  you  not  know,  boy,  that  it  has  been  gravely 
contended  in  a  court  of  justice  that,  in  obtaining  our  na 
tional  independence  from  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  the 
people  conquered  all  his  previous  grants,  which  ought  to  be 
declared  void  and  of  none  effect?" 

"  That  is  an  absurdity  of  which  I  had  not  heard,"  I  an 
swered,  laughing ;  "  why,  the  people  of  New  York,  who 
held  all  their  lands  under  the  crown,  would  in  that  case 
have  been  conquering  them  for  other  persons !  My  good 
grandfather  and  great-grandfather,  both  of  whom  actually 
ifought  and  bled  in  the  revolution,  must  have  been  very  silly 
thus  to  expose  themselves  to -take  away  their  own  estates,  in 
order  to  give  them  to  a  set  of  immigrants  from  New  England 
and  other  parts  of  the  world !" 

"  Quite  justly  said,  Hugh,"  added  my  uncle,  joining  in 
the  laugh.  "  Nor  is  this  half  of  the  argument.  The  State, 
too,  in  its  corporate  character,  has  been  playing  swindler  all 


THEREDSKINS  45 

»his  time.  You  may  not  know  the  fact,  but  I  as  your  guai- 
dian  do  know,  that  the  quit-rents  reserved  by  the  crown 
when  it  granted  the  lands  of  Mooseridge  and  Ravensnest, 
were  claimed  by  the  State ;  and  that,  wanting  money  to 
save  the  people  from  taxes,  it  commuted  with  us,  receiving 
a  certain  gross  sum  in  satisfaction  of  all  future  claims." 

"Ay,  that  I  did  not  know.     Can  the  fact  be  shown  ?" 

"  Certainly — it  is  well  known  to  all  old  fellows  like  my 
self,  fo-  it  was  a  very  general  measure,  and  very  generally 
entered  into  by  all  the  landholders.  In  our  case,  the 
receipts  are  still  to  be  found  among  the  family-papers.  In 
the  cases  of  the  older  estates,  such  as  those  of  the  Van 
Rensselaers,  the  equity  is  still  stronger  in  their  favour,  since 
the  conditions  to  hold  the  land  included  an  obligation  tc< 
bring  so  many  settlers  from  Europe  within  a  given  time ; 
conditions  that  were  fulfilled  at  great  cost,  as  you  may  sup 
pose,  and  on  which,  in  truth,  the  colony  had  its  founda 
tion." 

"  How  much  it  tells  against  a  people's  honesty  to  wish 
to  forget  such  facts,  in.  a  case  like  this !" 

"  There  is  nothing  forgotten,  for  the  facts  were  probably 
never  known  to  those  who  prate  about  the  conquered  rights 
from  the  crown.  As  you  say,  however,  the  civilization  of 
a  community  is  to  be  measured  by  its  consciousness  of  the 
existence  of  all  principles  of  justice,  and  a  familiarity  with 
its  own  history.  -The  great  bulk  of  the  population  of  New 
York  have  no  active  desire  to  invade  what  is  right  in  this 
anti-rent  struggle,  having  no  direct  interests  at  stake ;  their 
crime  is  a  passive  inactivity,  which  allows  those  who  are 
either  working  for  political  advancement,  or  those  who  are 
working  to  obtain  other  men's  property,  to  make  use  of 
them,  through  their  own  laws." 

"  But  is  it  not  an  embarrassment  to  such  a  region  as  that 
directly  around  Albany,  to  have  such  tenures  to  the  land, 
and  for  so  large  a  body  of  people  to  be  compelled  to  pay 
rent,  in  the  very  heart  of  the  State,  as  it  might  be,  and  in 
situations  that  render  it  desirable  to  leave  enterprise  as  un 
shackled  as  possible?" 

''  I  am  not  prepared  to  admit  this  much,  even,  as  a  gene 
ral  principle.  One  argument  used  by  these  anti-renters  is, 
for  instance,  that  the  patroons,  in  their  leases,  reserved  tha 


46  THE     REDSKINS. 

mill-seats.  Now,  what  if  they  did  ?  Some  one  must  own 
the  mill-seats;  and  why  not  the  Patroon  as  well  as  another  1 
To  give  the  argument  any  weight,  not  as  law,  not  as  morals, 
but  as  mere  expediency,  it  must  be  shown  that  the  patroona 
would  not  let  these  mill-seats  at  as  low  rents  as  any  one 
else ;  and  my  opinion  is  that  they  would  let  them  at  rents 
of  not  half  the  amount  that  would  be  asked,  were  they  the 
property  of  so  many  individuals,  scattered  up  and  down  the 
country.  But,  admitting  that  so  large  an  estate  of  this  par- 
ticul-ar  sort  has  some  inconveniences  in  that  particular  spot, 
can  there  be  two  opinions  among  men  of  integrity  about  the 
mode  of  getting  rid  of  it  1  Everything  has  its  price,  and, 
in  a  business  sense,  everything  is  entitled  to  its  price.  No 
people  acknowledge  this  more  than  the  Americans,  or 
practise  on  it  so  extensively.  Let  the  Rensselaers  be  tempt 
ed  by  such  offers  as  will  induce  them  to  sell,  but  do  not  let 
them  be  invaded  by  that  most  infernal  of  all  acts  of  oppres- 
sion,  special  legislation,  in  order  to  bully  or  frighten  them 
from  the  enjoyment  of  what  is  rightfully  their  own.  If  the 
State  think  such  a  description  of  property  injurious  in  its 
heart,  let  the  State  imitate  England  in  her  conduct  towards 
the  slave-holders — buy  them  out ;  not  tax  them  out,  and 
wrong  them  out,  and  annoy  them  out.  But,  Hugh,  enough 
of  this  at  present ;  we  shall  have  much  more  than  we  want 
of  it  when  we  get  home.  Among  my  letters,  I  have  one 
from  each  of  my  other  wards." 

"  '  Still  harping  on  my  daughter,'  sir  !"  I  answered,  laugh 
ing.  "  I  hope  that  the  vivacious  Miss  Henrietta  Coldbrooke, 
and  the  meek  Miss  Anne  Marston,  are  both  perfectly  well?' 
"  Both  in  excellent  health,  and  both  write  charmingly.  I 
must  really  let  you  see  the  letter  of  Henrietta,  as  I  do  think 
it  is  quite  creditable  to  her :  I  will  step  into  my  room  and 
get  it." 

I  ought  to  let  the  reader  into  a  secret  here  that  will  have 
some  connexion  with  what  is  to  follow.  A  dead-set  had 
been  made  at  me,  previously  to  leaving  home,  to  induce  me 
to  marry  either  of  three  young  ladies— Miss  Henrietta  Cold 
brooke.  Miss  Anne  Marston,  and  Miss  Opportunity  New- 
come.  The  advances  in  the  cases  of  Miss  Henrietta  Cold 
brooke  and  Miss  Anne  Marston  came  from  my  uncle  Ro 
who,  as  their  guardian,  had  a  natural  interest  in  their  making 


THEREDSKINS.  47 

what  he  was  pleased  to  think  might  be  a  good  connexion  for 
either ;  while  the  advances  on  account  of  Miss  Opportunity 
Newcome  came  from  herself.  Under  such  circumstances, 
it  may  be  well  to  say  who  these  young  ladies  actually 
were. 

Miss  Henrietta  Coldbrooke  was  the  daughter  of  an  Eng- 
Jishman  of  good  family,  and  some  estate,  who  had  emigrated 
lo  America  and  married,  under  the  impulse  of  certain  theo 
ries  in  politics  which  induced  him  to  imagine  that  this  was 
the  promised  land.  I  remember  him  as  a  disappointed  and 
dissatisfied  widower,  who  was  thought  to  be  daily  growing 
poorer  under  the  consequences  of  indiscreet  investments, 
and  who  at  last  got  to  be  so  very  English  in  his  wishes  and 
longings,  as  to  assert  that  the  common  Muscovy  was  a  bet 
ter  bird  than  the  canvas-back  !  He  died,  however,  in  time 
to  leave  his  only  child  an  estate  which,  under  my  uncle's 
excellent  management,  was  known  by  me  to  be  rather  more 
than  one  hundred  and  seventy-nine  thousand  dollars,  and 
which  produced  a  nett  eight  thousand  a-year.  This  made 
Miss  Henrietta  a  belle  at  once;  but,  having  a  prudent  friend 
in  my  grandmother,  as  yet  she  had  not  married  a  beggar. 
I  knew  that  uncle  Ro  went  quite  as  far  as  was  proper,  in 
his  letters,  in  the  way  of  hints  touching  myself;  and  my 
dear,  excellent,  honest-hearted,  straightforward  old  grand 
another  had  once  let  fall  an  expression,  in  one  of  her  letters 
to  myself,  which  induced  me  to  think  that  these  hints  had 
actually  awakened  as  much  interest  in  the  young  lady's 
bosom,  as  could  well  be  connected  with  what  was  necessa 
rily  nothing  but  curiosity. 

Miss  Anne  Marston  was  also  an  heiress,  but  on  a  very 
diminished  scale.  She  had  rather  more  than  three  thousand 
a-year  in  buildings  in  town,  and  a  pretty  little  sum  of  about 
sixteen  thousand  dollars  laid  by  out  of  its  savings.  She 
was  not  an  only  child,  however,  having  two  brothers,  each 
&f  whom  had  already  received  as  much  as  the  sister,  and 
each  of  whom,  as  is  very  apt  to  be  the  case  with  the  heirs  of 
New  York  merchants,  was  already  in  a  fair  way  of  getting 
rid  of  his  portion  in  riotous  living.  Nothing  does  a  young 
American  so  much  good,  under  such  circumstances,  as  to 
induce  him  to  travel.  It  makes  or  breaks  at  once.  If  a 
downright  fool,  he  is  plucked  by  European  adventureis  in 


48  THE    REDSKINS. 

so  short  a  time,  that  the  agony  is  soon  over.  If  only  vain 
and  frivolous,  because  young  and  ill-educated,  the  latter 
being  a  New  York  endemic,  but  with  some  foundation  of 
native  mind,  he  lets  his  whiskers  grow,  becomes  fuzzy  about 
the  chin,  dresses  better,  gets  to  be  much  better  mannered, 
soon  loses  his  taste  for  the  low  and  vulgar  indulgences  of 
his  youth,  and  comes  out  such  a  gentleman  as  one  can  only 
make  who  has  entirely  thrown  away  the  precious  moments 
of  youth.  If  tolerably  educated  in  boyhood,  with  capacity 
to  build  on,  the  chances  are  that  the  scales  will  fall  from  his 
e.yes  very  fast  on  landing  in  the  old  world — that  his  ideas 
and  tastes  will  take  a  new  turn — that  he  will  become  what 
nature  intended  him  for,  an  intellectual  man ;  and  that  he 
will  finally  return  home,  conscious  alike  of  the  evils  and 
blessings,  the  advantages  and  disadvantages,  of  his  own 
system  and  country — a  wiser,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  a  better 
man.  How  the  experiment  had  succeeded  with  the  Mars- 
tons,  neither  myself  nor  my  uncle  knew;  for  they  had  paid 
their  visit  while  we  were  in  the  East,  and  had  already  re 
turned  to  America.  As  for  Miss  Anne,  she  had  a  mother 
to  take  care  of  her  mind  and  person,  though  I  had  learned 
she  was  pretty,  sensible  and  discreet. 

Miss  Opportunity  Newcome  was  a  belle  of  Ravensnest, 
a  village  on  my  own  property  ;  a  rural  beauty,  and  of  rural 
education,  virtues,  manners  and  habits.  As  Ravensnest  was 
not  particularly  advanced  in  civilization,  or,  to  make  use  of 
the  common  language  of  the  country,  was  not  a  very  "  aris 
tocratic  place,"  I  shall  not  dwell  on  her  accomplishments, 
which  did  well  enough  for  Ravensnest,  but  would  not  essen 
tially  ornament  my  manuscript. 

Opportunity  was  the  daughter  of  Ovid,  who  was  the  son 
of  Jason,  of  the  house  of  Newcome.  In  using  the  term 
"  house,"  I  adopt  it  understandingly ;  for  the  family  had 
dwelt  in  the  same  tenement,  a  leasehold  property  of  which 
the  fee  was  in  myself,  and  the  dwelling  had  been  associated 
with  the  name  of  Newcome  from  time  immemorial  ;  that  is, 
for  about  eighty  years.  All  that  time  had  a  Newcome  been 
the  'enant  of  the  mill,  tavern,  store  and  farm,  that  lay  near 
est  the  village  of  Ravensnest,  or  Little  Nest,  as  it  was  com 
monly  called;  and  it  may  not  be  impertinent  to  the  moral 
of  my  narrative  if  I  add  that,  for  all  that  time,  and  for 


THEREDSKINS.  49 

something  longer,  had  I  and  my  ancestors  been  the  land 
lords.  I  beg  the  reader  to  bear  this  last  fact  in  mind,  as 
there  will  soon  be  occasion  to  show  that  there  was  a  strong 
disposition  in  certain  persons  to  forget  it. 

As  I  have  said,  Opportunity  was  the  daughter  of  Ovid. 
There  was  also  a  brother,  who  was  named  Seneca,  01 
Sene/cy,  as  he  always  pronounced  it  himself,  the  son  of 
Ovid,  the  son  of  Jason,  the  first  of  the  name  at  Ravensnest. 
This  Seneca  was  a  lawyer,  in  the  sense  of  a  license  granted 
by  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  as  well  as  by  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  in  and  for  the  county  of  Washing 
ton.  As  there  had  been  a  sort  of  hereditary  education 
among  the  Newcomes  for  three  generations,  beginning  with 
Jason,  and  ending  with  Seneca,-  and,  as  the  latter  was  at 
the  bar,  I  had  occasionally  been  thrown  into  the  society  of 
both  brother  and  sister.  The  latter,  indeed,  used  to  be  fond 
of  visiting  .the  Nest,  as  my  house  was  familiarly  called. 
Ravensnest  being  its  true  name,  whence  those  of  the  "  pa 
tent"  and  village ;  and  as  Opportunity  had  early  manifested 
a  partiality  for  my  dear  old  grandmother,  and  not  less  dear 
young  sister,  who  occasionally  passed  a  few  v/eeks  with  me 
during  the  vacations,  more  especially  in  the  autumns,  I  had 
many  occasions  of  being  brought  within  the  influence  of  her 
charms — opportunities  that,  I  feel  bound  to  state,  Opportu 
nity  did  not  neglect.  I  have  understood  that  her  mother, 
who  bore  the  same  name,  had  taught  Ovid  the  art  of  love 
by  a  very  similar  demonstration,  and  had  triumphed.  That 
lady  was  still  living,  and  may  be  termed  Opportunity  the 
Great,  while  the  daughter  can  be  styled  Opportunity  the 
Less.  There  was  very  little  difference  between  my  own 
years  and  those  of  the  young  lady ;  and,  as  I  had  last 
passed  through  the  fiery  ordeal  at  thj  sinister  age  of  twenty, 
there  was  not  much  danger  in  encountering  the  risk  anew, 
now  I  was  five  years  older.  But  I  must  return  to  my  uncle 
and  the  letter  of  Miss  Henrietta  Coldbrooke. 

"  Here  it  is,  Hugh,"  cried  my  guardian,  gaily  ;  "  and  a 
capital  letter  it  is !  I  wish  I  could  read  the  whole  of  it  to 
you  ;  but  the  two  girls  made  me  promise  never  to  show  their 
letters  to  any  one,  which  could  mean  only  you,  before  they 
would  promise  to  write  anything  to  me  beyond  common 
places.  Now,  I  get  their  sentiments  freely  and  naturally 
5 


50  THE    REDSKINS. 

and  the  correspondence  is  a  source  of  much  pleasure  to  me. 
I  think,  however,  I  might  venture  just  to  give  you  one 
extract." 

"You  had  better  not,  sir;  there  would  be  a  sort  of 
treachery  in  it,  that  I  confess  I  would  rather  not  be  acces 
sary  to.  If  Miss  Coldbrooke  do  not  wish  me  to  read  what 
she  writes,  she  can  hardly  wish  that  you  .should  read  any 
of  it  to  me." 

Uncle  Ro  glanced  at  me,  and  I  fancied  he  seemed  dissa 
tisfied  with  my  nonchalance.  He  read  the  letter  through  to 
himself,  however,  laughing  here,  smiling  there,  then  mut 
tering  "  capital !"  "  good  !"  "  charming  girl !"  "  worthy  of 
Hannah  More  !"  &c.  &c.,  as  if  just  to  provoke  my  curiosity. 
But  I  had  no  desire  to  read  "  Hannah  More,"  as  any  young 
fellow  of  five-and-lwenty  can  very  well  imagine,  and  I  stood 
it  all  with  the  indifference  of  a  stoic.  My  guardian  had  to 
knock  under,  and  put  the  letters  in  his  writing-desk. 

"  Well,  the  giris  will  be  glad  to  see  us,"  he  said,  after  a 
moment  of  reflection,  "and  not  a  little  surprised.  In  my 
very  last  letter  to  my  mother,  I  sent  them  word  that  we 
should  not  be  home  until  October;  and  now  we  shall  see 
them  as  early  as  June,  at  least." 

"Patt  will  be  delighted,  I  make  no  doubt.  AS  for  the 
other  two  young  ladies,  they  have  so  many  friends  and 
relations  to  care  for,  that  I  fancy  our  movements  give  them 
no  great  concern." 

"  Then  you  do  both  injustice,  as  their  letters  would  prove. 
They  take  the  liveliest  interest  in  our  proceedings,  and 
speak  of  my  return  as  if  they  look  for  it  with  the  greatest 
expectation  and  joy." 

I  made  my  uncle  Ro  a  somewhat  saucy  answer ;  but  fair- 
dealing  compels  me  to  record  it. 

"  I  dare  say  they  do,  sir,"  was  my  reply  ;  "  but  what 
young  lady  does  not  look  with  « expectation  and  joy'  for  the 
return  of  a  friend,  who  is  known  to  have  a  long  purse, 
from  Paris  !" 

"Well,  Hugh,  you  deserve  neither  of  those  dear  girls; 
and,  if  I  can  help  it,  you  shall  have  neither." 

"  Thank  'ee,  sir  !"  ' 

"  Poh  !  this  is  worse  than  silly— it  is  rude.  I  dare  say 
neither  would  accept  you,  were  you  to  offer  to-morrow." 


THE     REDSKINS.  51 

"  I  trust  not,  sir,  for  her  own  sake.  It  would  be  a  singu- 
iarly  palpable  demonstration  were  either  to  accept  a  man 
she  barely  knew,  and  whom  she  had  not  seen  since  she  was 
fifteen." 

Uncle  Ro  laughed,  but  I  could  see  he  was  confoundedly 
vexed ;  and,  as  I  loved  him  with  all  my  heart,  though  I  did 
not  love  match-making,  I  turned  the  discourse,  in  a  pleasant 
way,  on  our  approaching  departure. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  Ul  do,  Hugh,"  cried  my  uncle,  who 
was  a  good  deal  of  a  boy  in  some  things,  for  the  reason,  1 
suppose,  that  he  was  an  old  bachelor ;  "  I  '11  just  have  wrong 
names  entered  on  board  the  packet,  and  we  '11  surprise  all 
our  friends.  Neither  Jacob  nor  your  man  will  betray  us, 
we  know ;  and,  for  that  matter,  we  can  send  them  both 
home  by  the  way  of  England.  Each  of  us  has  trunks  in 
London  to  be  looked  after,  and  let  the  two  fellows  go  by  the 
way  of  Liverpool.  That  is  a  good  thought,  and  occurred 
most  happily." 

"  With  all  my  heart,  sir.  My  fellow  is  of  no  more  use  to 
me  at  sea  than  an  automaton  would  be,  and  I  shall  be  glad 
to  get  rid  of  his  rueful  countenance.  Pie  is  a  capital  ser 
vant  on  terra  firma,  but  a  perfect  Niobe  on  the  briny  main." 

The  thing  was  agreed  on ;  and,  a  day  or  two  afterwards, 
both  our  body-servants,  that  is  to  say,  Jacob  the  black  and 
Hubert  the  German,  were  on  their  way  to  England.  My 
uncle  let  his  apartment  again,  for  he  always  maintained  I 
should  wish  to  bring  my  bride  to  pass  a  winter  in  it ;  and 
we  proceeded  to  Havre  in  a  sort  of  incognito.  There  was 
little  danger  of  our  being  known  on  board  the  packet,  and 
we  had  previously  ascertained  that  there  was  not  an  ac 
quaintance  of  either  in  the  ship.  There  was  a  strong  family 
resemblance  between  my  uncle  and  myself,  and  we  passed 
for  father  and  son  in  the  ship,  as  old  Mr.  Davidson  and 
young  Mr.  Davidson,  of  Maryland — or  Myr-r-land,  as  it  is 
Doric  to  call  that  State.  We  had  no  concern  in  this  part 
of  the  deception,  unless  abstaining  from  calling  my  sup 
posed  father  "  uncle,"  as  one  would  naturally  do  in  strange 
society,  can  be-so  considered. 

The  passage  itself — by  the  way,  I  wish  all  landsmen 
would  be  as  accurate  as  I  am  here,  and  understand  that  a 
"voyage"  means  "out"  and  "home,"  or  "thence"  and 


52  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  back  again,"  while  a  "  passage"  means  from  place  to 
place — but  our  passage  was  pregnant  with  no  events  worth 
recording.  We  had  the  usual  amount  of  good  and  bad 
weather,  the  usual  amount  of  eating  and  drinking,  and  the 
usual  amount  of  ennui.  The  latter  circumstance,  perhaps, 
contributed  to  the  digesting  of  a  further  scheme  of  my 
uncle's,  which  it  is  now  necessary  to  state. 

A  re-perusal  of  his  letters  and  papers  had  induced  him  to 
think  the  anti-rent  movement  a  thing  of  more  gravity,  even, 
than  he  had  first  supposed.  The  combination  on  the  part 
of  the  tenants,  we  learned  also  from  an  intelligent  New 
Yorker  who  was  a  fellow-passenger,  extended  much  further 
than  our  accounts  had  given  us  reason  to  believe;  and  it 
was  deemed  decidedly  dangerous  for  landlords,  in  many 
cases,  to  be  seen  on  their  own  estates.  Insult,  personal  de 
gradation,  or  injury,  and  even  death,  it  was  thought,  might 
be  the  consequences,  in  many  cases.  The  blood  actually 
spilled  had  had  the  effect  to  check  the  more  violent  demon 
strations,  it  is  true ;  but  the  latent  determination  to  achieve 
their  purposes  was  easily  to  be  traced  among  the  tenants, 
in  the  face  of  all  their  tardy  professions  of  moderation,  and 
a  desire  for  nothing  but  what  was  right.  In  this  case,  what 
was  right  was  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  contracts ;  and 
nothing  was  plainer  than  the  fact  that  these  were  not  what 
was  wanted. 

Professions  pass  for  nothing,  with  the  experienced,  when 
connected  with  a  practice  that  flatly  contradicts  them.  It 
was  only  too  apparent  to  all  who  chose  to  look  into  the  mat 
ter,  and  that  by  evidence  which  could  not  mislead,  that  the 
great  body  of  the  tenants  in  various  counties  of  New  York 
were  bent  on  obtaining  interests  in  their  farms  that  were  not 
conveyed  by  their  leases,  without  the  consent  of  their  land 
lords,  and  insomuch  that  they  were  bent  on  doing  that  which 
should  be  discountenanced  by  every  honest  man  in  the  com 
munity.  The  very  fact  that  they  supported,  or  in  any  man 
ner  connived  at,  the  so-called  "  Injin"  system,  spoke  all  that 
was  necessary  as  to  their  motives ;  and,  when  we  come  to 
consider  that  these  "  Injins"  had  already  proceeded  to  the 
extremity  of  shedding  blood,  it  was  sufficiently  plain  that 
things  must  soon  reach  a  crisis. 

My  uncle  Roger  and  myself  reflected  on  all  these  matters 


THE     REDSKINS.  53 

calmly,  and  decided  on  our  course,  I  trust,  with  prudence. 
As  that  decision  has  proved  to  be  pregnant  with  conse 
quences  that  are  likely  to  affect  my  future  life,  I  shall  now 
briefly  give  an  outline  of  what  induced  us  to  adopt  it. 

It  was  all-important  for  us  to  visit  Ravensnest  in  person, 
while  it  might  be  hazardous  to  do  so  openly.  The  Nest 
house  stood  in  the  very  centre  of  the  estate,  and,  ignorant 
as  we  were  of  the  temper  of  the  tenants,  it  might  be  indis 
creet  to  let  our  presence  be  known ;  and  circumstances 
favoured  our  projects  of  concealment.  We  were  not  ex 
pected  to  reach  the  country  at  all  until  autumn,  or  "  fall," 
as  that  season  of  the  year  is  poetically  called  in  America ; 
and  this  gave  us  the  means  of  reaching  the  property  unex 
pectedly,  and,  as  we  hoped,  undetected.  Our  arrangement, 
then,  was  very  simple,  and  will  be  best  related  in  the  course 
of  the  narrative. 

The  packet  had  a  reasonably  short  passage,  as  we  were 
twenty-nine  days  from  land  to  land.  It  was  on  a  pleasant  af 
ternoon  in  May  when  the  hummock-like  heights  of  Navesink 
were  first  seen  from  the  deck  ;  and,  an  hour  later,  we  came 
in  sight  of  the  tower-resembling  sails  of  the  coasters  which 
were  congregating  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  low  point 
of  land  that  is  so  very  appropriately  called  Sandy  Hook. 
The  light-houses  rose  out  of  the  water  soon  after,  and  objects 
on  the  shore  of  New  Jersey  next  came  gradually  out  of  the 
misty  back-ground,  until  we  got  near  enough  to  be  boarded, 
first  by  the  pilot,  and  next  by  the  news-boat;  the  first  pre 
ceding  the  last  for  a  wonder,  news  usually  being  far  more 
active,* in  this  good  republic,  than  watchfulness  to  prevent 
evil.  My  uncle  Ro  gave  the  crew  of  this  news-boat  a  tho 
rough  scrutiny,  and,  finding  no  one  on  board  her  whom  he 
had  ever  before  seen,  he  bargained  for  a  passage  up  to  town. 

We  put  our  feet  on  the  Battery  just  as  the  clocks  of  New 
York  were  striking  eight.  A  custom-house  officer  had  exa 
mined  our  carpet-bags  and  permitted  them  to  pass,  and  we 
had  disburthened  ourselves  of  the  effects  in  the  ship,  by  de 
siring  the  captain  to  attend  to  them.  Each  of  us  had  a 
town-house,  but  neither  would  go  near  his  dwelling ;  mine 
being  only  kept  up  in  winter,  for  the  use  of  my  sister  and 
an  aunt  who  kindly  took  charge  of  her  during  the  season, 
while  my  uncle's  was  opened  principally  for  his  mother. 
5* 


54  THE     REDSKINS. 

At  that  season,  we  had  reason  to  think  neither  was  tenanted 
but  by  one  or  two  old  family  servants ;  and  it  was  our  cue 
also  to  avoid  them.  But  "  Jack  Dunning,"  as  my  uncle 
always  called  him,  was  rather  more  of  a  friend  than  of  an 
agent ;  and  he  had  a  bachelor  establishment  in  Chamber 
Street  that  was  precisely  the  place  we  wanted.  Thither, 
then,  we  proceeded,  taking  the  route  by  Greenwich  Street, 
fearful  of  meeting  some  one  in  Broadway  by  whom  we 
might  be  recognised. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Cit.  "  Speak,  speak." 

1  Cit.  "  You  are  all  resolved  rather  to  die  than  to  famish  ?" 
Cit.  «  Resolved,  resolved." 

1  Cit.  « First  you  know,  Caius  Marcus  is  chief  enemy  to  the 
people." 

Cit.  «  We  know 't,  we  know  V 

1  Cit.  "  Let 's  kill  him,  and  we  '11  have  corn  at  our  own  price. 
Is 't  a  verdict  ?" 

Coriolanus. 

THE  most  inveterate  Manhattanese,  if  he  be  anything  of 
a  man  of  the  world,  must  confess  that  New  York  is,  after 
all,  but  a  Rag-Fair  sort  of  a  place,  so  far  as  the  eya  is  con 
cerned.  I  was  particularly  struck  with  this  fact,*even  at 
that  hour,  as  we  went  stumbling  along  over  an  atrociously 
bad  side-walk,  my  eyes  never  at  rest,  as  any  one  can  ima 
gine,  after  five  years  of  absence.  I  could  not  help  noting 
the  incongruities ;  the  dwellings  of  marble,  in  close  prox 
imity  with  miserable,  low  constructions  in  wood ;  the 
wretched  pavements,  and,  above  all,  the  country  air,  of  a 
town  of  near  four  hundred  thousand  souls.  I  very  well 
know  that  many  of  the  defects  are  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
rapid  growth  of  the  place,  which  gives  it  a  sort  of  hobble 
dehoy  look;  but,  being  a  Manhattanese  by  birth,  I  thought 
I  might  just  as  well  own  it  all,  at  once,  if  it  were  only  for 
he  information  of  a  particular  portion  of  my  townsmen, 


THE     REDSKINS.  55 

who  may  have  been  under  a  certain  delusion  on  the  subject. 
As  for  comparing  the  Bay  of  New  York  with  that  of  Na 
ples  on  the  score  of  beauty,  I  shall  no  more  be  guilty  of  any- 
such  folly,  to  gratify  the  cockney  feelings  of  Broadway  and 
Bond  street,  than  I  should  be  guilty  of  the  folly  of  compar 
ing  the  commerce  of  the  ancient  Parthenope  with  that  of 
old  New  York,  in  order  to  excite  complacency  in  the  bosom 
of  some  bottegajo  in  the  Toledo,  or  on  the  Chiaja.  Our 
fast-growing  Manhattan  is  a  great  town  in  its  way — a  won 
derful  place — without  a  parallel,  I  do  believe,  on  earth,  as  a 
proof  of  enterprise  and  of  the  accumulation  of  business ; 
and  it  is  not  easy  to  make  such  a  town  appear  ridiculous  by 
any  jibes  and  innuendoes  that  relate  to  the  positive  things  of 
this  world,  though  nothing  is  easier  than  to  do  it  for  itself 
by  setting  up  to  belong  to  the  sisterhood  of  such  places  as 
London,  Paris,  Vienna  and  St.  Petersburg.  There  is  too 
much  of  the  American  notion  of  the  omnipotence  of  num 
bers  among  us  Manhattanese,  which  induces  us  to  think  that 
the  higher  rank  in  the  scale  of  places  is  to  be  obtained  by 
majorities.  No,  no;  let  us  remember  the  familiar  axiom 
of  "  ne  sutor  ultra  crepidum."  New  York  is  just  the  queen 
of  "  business,"  but  not  yet  the  queen  of  the  world.  Every 
man  who  travels  ought  to  bring  back  something  to  the  com 
mon  stock  of  knowledge ;  and  I  shall  give  a  hint  to  my 
townsmen,  by  which  I  really  think  they  may  be  able  to  tell 
for  themselves,  as  by  feeling  a  sort  of  moral  pulse,  when 
the  town  is  rising  to  the  level  of  a  capital.  When  simpli 
city  takes  the  place  of  pretension,  is  one  good  rule ;  but,  as 
it  may  require  a  good  deal  of  practice,  or  native  taste,  to 
ascertain  this  fact,  I  will  give  another  that  is  obvious  to  the 
senses,  which  will  at  least  be  strongly  symptomatic ;  and 
that  is  this :  When  squares  cease  to  be  called  parks  ;  when 
horse-bazaars  and  fashionable  streets  are  not  called  Tatter- 
salle  and  Bond  street;  when  Washington  Market  is  re- 
christened  Bear  Market,  and  Franklin  and  Fulton  and  other 
great  philosophers  and  inventors  are  plucked  of  the  unme 
rited  honours  of  having  shambles  named  after  them  ;  when 
commercial  is  not  used  as  a  prefix  to  emporium  ;  when  peo 
ple  can  return  from  abroad  without  being  asked  "  if  they 
are  reconciled  to  their  country,"  and  strangers  are  not 
interrogated  at  the  second  question,  "  how  do  you  like  our 


56  THE     REDSKINS. 

city  ?"  then  may  it  be  believed  that  the  town  is  beginnkig 
10  go  alone,  and  that  it  may  set  up  for  itself. 

Although  New  York  is,  out  of  all  question,  decidedly 
provincial,  labouring  under  the  peculiar  vices  of  provincial 
habits  and  provincial  modes  of  thinking,  it  contains  many 
<x  man  of  the  world,  and  some,  too,  who  have  never  quitted 
their  own  firesides.  Of  this  very  number  was  the  Jack 
Dunning,  as  my  uncle  Ro  called  him,  to  whose  house  in 
Chamber  street  we  were  now  proceeding. 

"  If  we  were  going  anywhere  but  to  Dunning's,"  said  m^ 
uncle,  as  we  turned  out  of  Greenwich  street,  "  I  should 
have  no  fear  of  being  recognised  by  the  servants ;  for  no 
one  here  thinks  of  keeping  a  man  six  months.  Dunning, 
however,  is  of  the  old  school,  and  does  not  like  new  faces ; 
so  he  will  have  no  Irishman  at  his  door,  as  is  the  case  with 
two  out  of  three  of  the  houses  at  which  one  calls,  now-a- 
days." 

In  another  minute  we  were  at  the  bottom  of  Mr.  Dun 
ning's  "  stoup" — what  an  infernal  contrivance  it  is  to  get  in 
and  out  at  the  door  by,  in  a  hotty-cold  climate  like  ours  !— • 
but,  there  we  were,  and  I  observed  that  my  uncle  hesitated. 

"  Parlez  au  SUISSE,"  said  I ;  "  ten  to  one  he  is  fresh 
from  some  Bally-this,  or  Bally-that." 

"  No,  no  ;  it  must  be  old  Garry  the  nigger" — my  uncle 
Rowas  of  the  old  school  himself,  and  would  say  "nigger" — 
"  Jack  can  never  have  parted  with  Garry." 

"  Garry"  was  the  diminutive  of  Garret,  a  somewhat  com 
mon  Dutch  Christian  name  among  us. 

We  rang,  and  the  door  opened — in  about  five  minutes. 
Although  the  terms  "aristocrat"  and  "aristocracy"  are 
much  in  men's  mouths  in  America  just  now,  as  well  as  those 
of  "  feudal"  and  the  "  middle  ages,"  and  this,  too,  as  applied 
to  modes  of  living  as  well  as  to  leasehold  tenures,  there  is 
but  one  porter  in  the  whole  country ;  and  he  belongs  to  the 
White  House,  at  Washington.  I  am  afraid  even  that  per 
sonage,  royal  porter  as  he  is,  is  often  out  of  the  way ;  and 
the  reception  he  gives  when  he  is  there,  is  not  of  the  mosv, 
brilliant  and  princely  character.  When  we  had  waited  three 
minutes,  my  uncle  Ro  said — 

"  I  am  afraid  Garry  is  taking  a  nap  by  the  kitchen-fire ; 
1 :11  try  him  again." 


THEREDSKINS.  57 

Uncle  Ro  did  try  again,  and,  two  minutes  later,  the  door 
opened. 

"  What  is  your  pleasure?"  demanded  the  Suisse,  with  a 
strong  brogue. 

My  uncle  started  back  as  if  he  had  met  a  sprite ;  but  he 
asked  if  Mr.  Dunning  was  at  home. 

"  He  is,  indeed,  sir." 

"  Is  he  alone,  or  is  he  with  company  ?" 

"  He  is,  indeed." 

"  But  what  is  he,  indeed  ?" 

"  He  is  that." 

"  Can  you  take  the  trouble  to  explain  which  that  it  is  ? 
Has  he  company,  or  is  he  alone]" 

"  Just  that,  sir.  Walk  in,  and  he  '11  be  charmed  to  see 
you.  A  fine  gentleman  is  his  honour,  and  pleasure  it  is  to 
live  with  him,  I  'm  sure !" 

"  How  long  is  it  since  you  left  Ireland,  my  friend  ?" 

"  Isn't  it  a  mighty  bit,  now,  yer  honour !"  answered  Bar 
ney,  closing  the  door.  "  T'irteen  weeks,  if  it 's  one  day." 

"  Well,  go  ahead,  and  show  us  the  way.  This  is  a  bad 
omen,  Hugh,  to  find  that  Jack  Dunning,  of  all  men  in  the 
country,  should  have  changed  his  servant — good,  quiet,  lazy, 
respectable,  old,  grey-headed  Garry  the  nigger — for  such  a 
bogtrotter  as  that  fellow,  who  climbs  those  stairs  as  if  ac 
customed  only  to  ladders." 

Dunning  was  in  his  library  on  the  second  floor,  where  he 
passed  most  of  his  evenings.  His  surprise  was  equal  to 
that  which  my  uncle  had  just  experienced,  when  he  saw  us 
two  standing  before  him.  A  significant  gesture,  however, 
caused  him  to  grasp  his  friend  and  client's  hand  in  silence ; 
and  nothing  was  said  until  the  Swiss  had  left  the  room, 
although  the  fellow  stood  with  the  door  in  his  hand  a  most 
inconvenient  time,  just  to  listen  to  what  might  pass  between 
the  host  and  his  guests.  At  length  we  got  rid  of  him, 
honest,  well-meaning  fellow  that  he  was,  after  all ;  and  the 
door  was  closed. 

"  My  last  letters  have  brought  you  home,  Roger  ?"  said 
Jack,  the  moment  he  could  speak ;  for  feeling,  as  well  as 
caution,  had  something  to  do  with  his  silence. 

"  They  have,  indeed.  A  great  change  must  have  come 
over  the  country,  by  what  I  hear;  and  one  of  the  very 


58  THE     REDSKINS. 

worst  symptoms  is  that  you  have  turned  away  Garry,  and 
got  an  Irishman  in  his  place." 

"Ah  !  old  men  must  die,  as  well  as  old  principles,  I  find. 
My  poor  fellow  went  off  in  a  fit  last  week,  and  I  took  that 
Irishman  as  a  pis  oiler.  After  losing  poor  Garry,  who  was 
born  a  slave  in  my  father's  house,  I  became  indifferent,  and 
accepted  the  first  comer  from  the  intelligence  office." 

"  We  must  be  careful,  Dunning,  not  to  give  up  too  soon. 
But  hear  my  story,  and  then  to  other  matters." 

My  uncle  then  explained  his  wish  to  be  incognito,  and  his 
motive.  Dunning  listened  attentively,  but  seemed  uncertain 
whether  to  dissent  or  approve.  The  matter  was  discussed 
briefly,  and  then  it  was  postponed  for  further  consideration. 

"  But  how  comes  on  this  great  moral  dereliction,  called 
anti-rentism?  Is  it  on  the  wane,  or  the  increase?" 

"  On  the  wane,  to  the  eye,  perhaps ;  but  on  the  increase, 
so  far  as  principles,  the  right,  and  facts,  are  concerned. 
The  necessity  of  propitiating  votes  is  tempting  politicians  of 
all  sides  to  lend  themselves  to  it ;  and  there  is  imminent 
danger  now  that  atrocious  wrongs  will  be  committed  under 
the  form  of  law." 

"In  what  way  can  the  law  touch  an  existing  contract? 
The  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  will  set  that  right." 

"  That  is  the  only  hope  of  the  honest,  let  me  tell  you. 
It  is  folly  to  expect  that  a  body  composed  of  such  men  as 
usually  are  sent  to  the  State  Legislature,  can  resist  the 
temptation  to  gain  power  by  conciliating  numbers.  That  is 
out  of  the  question.  Individuals  of  these  bodies  may  resist ; 
but  the  tendency  there  will  be  as  against  the  few,  and  in 
favour  of  the  many,  bolstering  their  theories  by  clap-traps 
and  slang  political  phrases.  The  scheme  to  tax  the  rents, 
under  the  name  of  quit-rents,  will  be  resorted  to,  in  the  first 
place." 

"  That  will  be  a  most  iniquitous  proceeding,  and  would 
justify  resistance  just  as  much  as  our  ancestors  were  justi 
fied  in  resisting  the  taxation  of  Great  Britain." 

"  It  would  more  so,  for  here  we  have  a  written  covenant 
to  render  taxation  equal.  The  landlord  already  pays  one 
tax  on  each  of  these  farms — a  full  and  complete  tax,  thar. 
is  reserved  from  the  rent  in  the  original  bargain  with  the 
tenant ;  and  now  the  wish  is  to  tax  the  rents  themselves ; 


THEREDSKINS.  59 

end  this  not  to  raise  revenue,  for  that  is  confessedly  not 
wanted,  but  most  clearly  with  a  design  to  increase  the  in 
ducements  for  the  landlords  to  part  with  their  property.  If 
that  can  be  done,  the  sales  will  be  made  on  the  principle 
that  none  but  the  tenant  must  be,  as  indeed  no  one  else  can 
be,  the  purchaser ;  and  then  we  shall  see  a  queer  exhibition — 
men  parting  with  their  property  under  the  pressure  of  a 
clamour  that  is  backed  by  as  much  law  as  can  be  pressed 
into  its  service,  with  a  monopoly  of  price  on  the  side  of  the 
purchaser,'  and  all  in  a  country  professing  the  most  sensitive 
love  of  liberty,  and  where  the  prevailing  class  of  politicians 
are  free-trade  men  !" 

"  There  is  no  end  of  these  inconsistencies  among  poli 
ticians." 

"  There  is  no  end  of  knavery  when  men  submit  to 
« noses,'  instead  of  principles.  Call  things  by  their  right 
names,  Ro,  as  they  deserve  to  be.  This  matter  is  so  plain, 
that  he  who  runs  can  read." 

"  But  will  this  scheme  of  taxation  succeed  1  It  does  not 
affect  us,  for  instance,  as  our  leases  are  for  three  lives." 

"  Oh  !  that  is  nothing ;  for  you  they  contemplate  a  law 
that  will  forbid  the  letting  of  land,  for  the  future,  for  a  pe 
riod  longer  than  five  years.  Huglrs  leases  will  soon  be 
falling  in,  and  then  he  can't  make  a  slave  of  any  man  for  a 
longer  period  than  five  years." 

"  Surely  no  one  is  so  silly  as  to  think  of  passing  such  a 
law,  with  a  view  to  put  down  aristocracy,  and  to  benefit  the 
tenant !"  I  cried,  laughing. 

"Ay,  you  may  laugh,  young  sir,"  resumed  Jack  Dun 
ning  ;  "  but  such  is  the  intention.  I  know  very  well  what 
will  be  your  course  of  reasoning ;  you  will  say,  the  longer 
the  lease,  the  better  for  the  tenant,  if  the  bargain  be  reason 
ably  good ;  and  landlords  cannot  ask  more  for  the  use  of 
their  lands  than  they  are  really  worth  in  this  country,  there 
happening  to  be  more  land  than  there  are  men  to  work  it 
No,  no ;  landlords  rather  get  less  for  their  lands  than  they 
are  worth,  instead  of  more,  for  that  plain  reason.  To  com 
pel  the  tenant  to  take  a  lease,  therefore,  for  a  term  as  short 
as  five  years,  is  to  injure  him,  you  think ;  to  place  him 
more  at  the  control  of  his  landlord,  through  the  little  inte 
rests  connected  with  the  cost  and  trouble  of  moving,  and 


GO  THE     REDSKINS. 

through  the  natural  desire  he  may  possess  to  cut  the  mea* 
dows  he  has  seeded,  and  to  get  the  full  benefit  of  manure 
he  has  made  and  carted.  I  see  how  you  reason,  young  sir; 
hut  you  are  behind  the  age — you  are  sadly  behind  the  age." 

"  The  age  is  a  queer  one,  if  I  am  !  All  over  the  world  it 
is  believed  that  long  leases  are  favours,  or  advantages,  to 
tenants ;  and  nothing  can  make  it  otherwise,  cateris  pari- 
bus.  Then  what  good  will  the  tax  do,  after  violating  right 
and  moral  justice,  if  not  positive  law,  to  lay  it?  On  a  hun 
dred  dollars  of  rent,  I  should  have  to  pay  some  fifty-five 
cents  of  taxes,  as  I  am  assessed  on  other  things  at  Ravens- 
nest  ;  and  does  anybody  suppose  I  will  give  up  an  estate 
that  has  passed  through  five  generations  of  my  family,  on 
account  of  a  tribute  like  that !" 

"  Mighty  well,  sir — mighty  well,  sir !  This  is  fine  talk ; 
but  I  would  advise  you  not  to  speak  of  your  ancestors  at  all. 
Landlords  can't  name  their  ancestors  with  impunity  just 
now." 

"  I  name  mine  only  as  showing  a  reason  for  a  natural 
regard  for  my  paternal  acres." 

"  That  you  might  do,  if  you  were  a  tenant ;  but  not  as  a 
landlord.  In  a  landlord,  it  is  aristocratic  and  intolerable 
pride,  and  to  the  last  degree  offensive — as  Dogberry  says, 
'  tolerable  and  not  to  be  endured.5 " 

"  But  it  is  a  fact,  and  it  is  natural  one  should  have  some 
feelings  connected  with  it." 

"  The  more  it  is  a  fact,  the  less  it  will  be  liked.  People 
associate  social  position  with  wealth  and  estates,  but  not 
with  farms  ;  and  the  longer  one  has  such  things  in  a  family, 
the  worse  for  them  !" 

"  I  do  believe,  Jack,"  put  in  my  uncle  Ro,  "  that  the  rule 
which  prevails  all  over  the  rest  of  the  world  is  reversed 
here,  and  that  with  us  it  is  thought  a  family's  claim  is  less 
ened,  and  not  increased,  by  time." 

"  To  be  sure  it  is !"  answered  Dunning,  without  giving 
me  a  chance  to  speak.  "  Do  you  know  that  you  wrote  me 
a  very  silly  letter  once,  from  Switzerland,  about  a  family 
called  de  Blonay,  that  had  been  seated  on  the  same  rock,  in 
a  little  castle,  some  six  or  eight  hundred  years,  and  the  sort 
of  respect  and  veneration  the  circumstance  awakened  ? 
Well,  all  that  was  very  foolish,  as  you  will  find  when  you 


THE     REDSKINS.  61 

pay  your  incognito  visit  to  Ravensnest.     I  will  not  antici 
pate  the  lesult  of  your  schooling;  but,  go  to  school." 

"  As  the  Rensselaers  and  other  great  landlords,  who  have 
estates  on  durable  leases,  will  not  be  very  likely  to  give 
them  up,  except  on  terms  that  will  suit  themselves,  for  a  tax 
as  insignificant  as  that  mentioned  by  Hugh,"  said  my  uncle, 
"  what  does  the  legislature  anticipate  from  passing  the  law  ?' 

"  That  its  members  will  be  called  the  friends  of  the  peo 
ple,  and  not  the  friends  of  the  landlords.  Would  any  man 
tax  his  friends,  if  he  could  help  it  1" 

"  But  what  will  that  portion  of  the  people  who  compose 
the  anti-renters  gain  by  such  a  measure  ?" 

"  Nothing ;  and  their  complaints  will  be  just  as  loud,  and 
their  longings  as  active,  as  ever.  Nothing  that  can  have 
any  effect  on  what  they  wish,  will  be  accomplished  by  any 
legislation  in  the  matter.  One  committee  of  the  assembly 
has  actually  reported,  you  may  remember,  that  the  State 
might  assume  the  lands,  and  sell  them  to  the  tenants,  or 
some  one  else ;  or  something  of  the  sort." 

"  The  constitution  of  the  United  States  must  be  Hugh's 
aegis." 

"And  that  alone  will  protect  him,  let  me  tell  you.  But 
for  that  noble  provision  of  the  constitution  of  the  Federal 
Government,  his  estate  would  infallibly  go  for  one-half  its 
true  value.  There  is  no  use  in  mincing  things,  or  in  affect 
ing  to  believe  men  more  honest  than  they  are — AN  INFERNAL 

FEELING  OF  SELFISHNESS  IS  SO  MUCH  TALKED  OF,  AND 
CITED,  AND  REFERRED  TO,  ON  ALL  OCCASIONS,  IN  THIS 
COUNTRY,  THAT  A  MAN  ALMOST  RENDERS  HIMSELF  RIDICU 
LOUS  WHO  APPEARS  TO  REST  ON  PRINCIPLE." 

"  Have  you  heard  what  the  tenants  of  Ravensnest  aim 
at,  in  particular  ?" 

"  They  want  to  get  Hugh's  lands,  that 's  all ;  nothing 
more,  I  can  assure  you." 

" On  what  conditions,  pray?"  demanded  I. 

"As  you  *  light  of  chaps,'  to  use  a  saying  of  their  own. 
Some  even  profess  a  willingness  to  pay  a  fair  price.' 

"  But  I  do  not  wish  to  sell  for  even  a  fair  price.     I  have 

no  desire  to  part  with  property  that  is  endeared  to  me  by 

family  feeling  and  association.     I  have  an  expensive  house 

and  establishment  on  my  estate,  which  obtains  its  principal 

6 


62  THE     REDSKINS. 

value  from  the  circumstance  that  it  is  so  placed  that  I  can 
look  after  my  interests  with  the  least  inconvenience  to  my- 
self.  What  can  I  do  with  the  money  but  buy  another 
estate  ?  and  I  prefer  this  that  I  have." 

"  Poh  !  boy,  you  can  shave  notes,  you  '11  recollect,"  said 
uncle  Ro,  drily.  "  The  calling  is  decided  to  be  honourable 
by  the  highest  tribunal ;  and  no  man  should  be  above  his 
business." 

"  You  have  no  right,  sir,  in  a  free  country,"  returned  the 
caustic  Jack  Dunning,  "to  prefer  one  estate  to  another, 
more  especially  when  other  people  want  it.  Your  lands  are 
leased  to  honest,  hard-working  tenants,  who  can  eat  their 
dinners  without  silver  forks,  and  whose  ancestors " 

"Stop!"  I  cried,  laughing;  "I  bar  all  ancestry.  No 
man  has  a  right  to  ancestry  in  a  free  country,  you  '11  re 
member  !" 

"  That  means  landlord-ancestry  ;  as  for  tenant-ancestry, 
one  can  have  a  pedigree  as  long  as  the  Maison  de  Levis. 
No,  sir ;  every  tenant  you  have  has  every  right  to  demand 
that  his  sentiment  of  family  feeling  should  be  respected. 
His  father  planted  that  orchard,  and  he  loves  the  apples 
better  than  any  other  apples  in  the  world " 

"And  my  father  procured  the  grafts,  and  made  him  a 
present  of  them." 

"His  grandfather  cleared  that  field,  and  converted  its 
ashes  into  pots  and  pearls " 

"And  my  grandfather  received  that  year  ten  shillings  of 
rent,  for  land  off  which  his  received  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  for  his  ashes." 

"  His  great-grandfather,  honest  and  excellent  man — nay, 
super-honest  and  confiding  creature — first '  took  up'  the  land 
when  a  wilderness,  and  with  his  own  hands  felled  the  tim 
ber,  and  sowed  the  wheat." 

"And  got  his  pay  twenty-fold  for  it  all,  or  he  would  not 
have  been  fool  enough  to  do  it.  I  had  a  great-grandfather, 
too ;  and  I  hope  it  will  not  be  considered  aristocratic  if  I 
venture  to  hint  as  much.  He — a  dishonest,  pestilent  knave, 
no  doubt — leased  that  very  lot  for  six  years  without  any 
rent  at  all,  in  order  that  the  '  poor,  confiding  creature'  might 
make  himself  comfortable,  before  he  commenced  paying  his 
sixpence  or  shilling  an  acre  rent  for  the  remainder  of  three 


THE    REDSKINS.  63 

lives,  with  a  moral  certainty  of  getting  a  renewal  on  the 
most  liberal  terms  known  to  a  new  country;  and  who 
knew,  the  whole  time,  he  could  buy  land  in  fee,  within  ten 
miles  of  his  door,  but  who  thought  this  a  better  bargain  than 
that* 

"  Enough  of  this  folly,"  cried  uncle  Ro,  joining  in  the 
laugh ;  "  we  all  know  that,  in  our  excellent  America,  he 
who  has  the  highest  claims  to  anything,  must  affect  to  have 
the  least,  to  stifle  the  monster  envy  ;  and,  being  of  one  mind 
as  to  principles,  let  us  come  to  facts.  What  of  the  girls, 
Jack,  and  of  my  honoured  mother?" 

"  She,  noble,  heroic  woman  !  she  is  at  Ravensnest  at  this 
moment ;  and,  as  the  girls  would  not  permit  her  to  go  alone, 
they  are  all  with  her." 

"And  did  you,  Jack  Dunning,  suffer  them  to  go  unattend 
ed  into  a  part  of  the  country  that  is  in  open  rebellion  ?" 
demanded  my  uncle,  reproachfully. 

*'  Come,  come !  Hodge  Littlepage,  this  is  very  sublime  as 
a  theory,  but  not  so  clear  when  reduced  to  practice.  I  did 
not  go  with  Mrs.  Littlepage  and  her  young  fry,  for  the  good 
and  substantial  reason  that  I  did  not  wish  to  be  '  tarred  and 
feathered.'  " 

"  So  you  leave  them  to  run  the  risk  of  being  '  tarred  and 
feathered'  in  your  stead  ?" 

"  Say  what  you  will  about  the  cant  of  freedom  that  is 
becoming  so  common  among  us,  and  from  which  we  were 
once  so  free ;  say  what  you  will,  Ro,  of  the  inconsistency 
of  those  who  raise  the  cry  of  '  feudality,'  and  '  aristocracy,' 
and  '  nobility,'  at  the  very  moment  they  are  manifesting  a 
desire  for  exclusive  rights  and  privileges  in  their  own  per 
sons  ;  say  what  you  will  of  dishonesty,  envy,  that  promi 
nent  American  vice,  knavery,  covetousness,  and  selfishness ; 
and  I  will  echo  all  you  can  utter ; — but  do  not  say  that  a 
woman  can  be  in  serious  danger  among  any  material  body 
of  Americans,  even  if  anti-renters,  and  mock-redskins  in  the 
bargain." 

*  I  believe  you  are  right  there,  Jack,  on  reflection.  Par 
don  my  warmth ;  but  I  have  lately  been  living  in  the  old 
world,  and  in  a  country  in  which  women  were  not  long 
since  carried  to  the  scaffold  on  account  of  their  politics." 

*'  Because  they  meddled  with  politics.     Your  mother  is  in 


64  THE    REDSKINS. 

no  serious  danger,  though  it  needs  nerve  in  a  woman  to  be 
able  to  think  so.  There  are  few  women  in  the  State,  and 
fewer  of  her  time  of  life  anywhere,  that  would  do  what  she 
has  done ;  and  I  give  the  girls  great  credit  for  sticking  by 
her.  Half  the  young  men  in  town  are  desperate  at  the 
thought  of  three  such  charming  creatures  thus  exposing 
themselves  to  insult.  Your  mother  has  only  been  sued." 

"  Sued !  Whom  does  she  owe,  or  what  can  she  have 
done  to  have  brought  this  indignity  on  her  ?" 

"  You  know,  or  ought  to  know,  how  it  is  in  this  country, 
Littlepage ;  we  must  have  a  little  law,  even  when  most  bent 
on  breaking  it.  A  downright,  straight-forward  rascal,  who 
openly  sets  law  at  defiance,  is  a  wonder.  Then  we  have  a 
great  talk  of  liberty  when  plotting  to  give  it  the  deepest 
stab ;  and  religion  even  gets  to  share  in  no  small  portion  of 
our  vices.  Thus  it  is  that  the  anti-renters  have  dragged  in 
the  law  in  aid  of  their  designs.  I  understand  one  of  the 
Rensselaers  has  been  sued  for  money  borrowed  in  a  ferry 
boat  to  help  him  across  a  river  under  his  own  door,  and  foi 
potatoes  bought  by  his  wife  in  the  streets  of  Albany  !" 

"  But  neither  of  the  Rensselaers  need  borrow  money  to 
cross  the  ferry,  as  the  ferry-men  would  trust  him  ;  and  no 
lady  of  the  Rensselaer  family  ever  bought  potatoes  in  the 
streets  of  Albany,  I  '11  answer  for  it." 

"  You  have  brought  back  some  knowledge  from  your 
travels,  I  find !"  said  Jack  Dunning,  with  comic  gravity. 
"  Your  mother  writes  me  that  she  has  been  sued  for  twenty, 
seven  pairs  of  shoes  furnished  her  by  a  shoemaker  whom 
she  never  saw,  or  heard  of,  until  she  received  the  sum 
mons  !" 

"  This,  then,  is  one  of  the  species  of  annoyances  that 
has  been  adopted  to  bully  the  landlords  out  of  their  pro 
perty?" 

"  It  is ;  and  if  the  landlords  have  recourse  even  to  the 
covenants  of  their  leases,  solemnly  and  deliberately  made, 
and  as  solemnly  guarantied  by  a  fundamental  law,  the  cry 
is  raised  of  *  aristocracy'  and  '  oppression'  by  these  very 
men,  and  echoed  by  many  of  the  creatures  who  get  seats 
in  high  places  among  us — or  what  would  be  high  places,  if 
filled  with  men  worthy  of  their  trusts." 

"  I  see  you  do  not  mince  your  words,  Jack." 


TIIEREDBKINS.  65 

"Why  should  I?  Words  are  all  that  is  left  me.  I  am 
of  no  more  weight  in  the  government  of  this  State  than  that 
Irishman,  who  let  you  in  just  now,  will  be,  five  years  hence 
— less,  for  he  will  vote  to  suit  a  majority ;  and,  as  I  shall 
vote  understandingly,  my  vote  will  probably  do  no  one  any 
good." 

Dunning  belonged  to  a  school  that  mingles  a  good  deal 
of  speculative  and  impracticable  theory,  with  a  great  deal 
of  sound  and  just  principles  ;  but  who  render  themselves 
useless  because  they  will  admit  of  no  compromises.  He  did 
not  belong  to  the  class  of  American  doctrinaires,  however, 
or  to  those  who  contend — no,  not  contend,  for  no  one  does 
that  any  longer  in  this  country,  whatever  may  be  his  opinion 
on  the  subject — but  those  who  think  that  political  power,  as 
in  the  last  resort,  should  be  the  property  of  the  few ;  for  he 
was  willing  New  York  should  have  a  very  broad  constitu 
ency.  Nevertheless,  he  was  opposed  to  the  universal  suf 
frage,  in  its  wide  extent,  that  does  actually  exist ;  as  I  sup 
pose  quite  three-fourths  of  the  whole  population  are  opposed 
to  it,  in  their  hearts,  though  no  political  man  of  influence, 
now  existing,  has  the  moral  calibre  necessary  to  take  the 
lead  in  putting  it  down.  Dunning  deferred  to  principles, 
and  not  to  men.  He  well  knew  that  an  infallible  whole  was 
not  to  be  composed  of  fallible  parts ;  and  while  he  thought 
majorities  ought  to  determine  many  things,  that  there  are 
rights  and  principles  that  are  superior  to  even  such  unani 
mity  as  man  can  manifest,  and  much  more  to  their  majori 
ties.  But  Dunning  had  no  selfish  views  connected  with  his 
political  notions,  wanting  no  office,  and  feeling  no  motive  to 
affect  that  which  he  neither  thought  nor  wished.  He  never 
had  quitted  home,  or  it  is  highly  probable  his  views  of  the 
comparative  abuses  of  the  different  systems  that  prevail  in 
the  world  would  have  been  essentially  modified.  Those  he 
saw  had  unavoidably  a  democratic  source,  there  being  nei 
ther  monarch  nor  aristocrat  to  produce  any  other;  and, 
under  such  circumstances,  as  abuses  certainly  abound,  it  is 
not  at  all  surprising  that  he  sometimes  a  little  distorted  facts, 
and  magnified  evils. 

"And  my  noble,  high-spirited,  and  venerable  mother  has 
actually  gone  to  the  Nest  to  face  the  enemy  !"  exclaimed  my 
uncle,  after  a  thoughtful  pause. 
6* 


66  THE     REDSKINS- 

"  She  has,  indeed ;  and  the  noble,  high-spirited,  though 
not  venerable,  young  ladies  have  gone  with  her,"  returned 
Mr.  Dunning,  in  his  caustic  way. 

"All  three,  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Every  one  of  them — Martha,  Henrietta,  and  Anne." 

"  I  am  surprised  that  the  last  should  have  done  so.  Anne 
Marston  is  such  a  meek,  quiet,  peace-loving  person,  that  I 
should  think  she  would  have  preferred  remaining,  as  she 
naturally  might  have  done,  without  exciting  remark,  with 
her  own  mother." 

"  She  has  not,  nevertheless.  Mrs.  Littlepage  would  brave 
the  anti-renters,  and  the  three  maidens  would  be  her  com 
panions.  I  dare  say,  Ro,  you  know  how  it  is  with  the 
gentle  sex,  when  they  make  up  their  minds  ?" 

"  My  girls  are  all  good  girls,  and  have  given  me  very 
little  trouble,"  answered  my  uncle,  complacently.  . 

"  Yes,  I  dare  say  that  may  be  true.  You  have,  only  been 
absent  from  home  five  years,  this  trip." 

"An  attentive  guardian,  notwithstanding,  since  I  left  you 
as  a  substitute.  Has  my  mother  written  to  you  since  her 
arrival  among  the  hosts  of  the  Philistines  ?" 

"  She  has,  indeed,  Littlepage,"  answered  Dunning,  grave 
ly  ;  "  I  have  heard  from  her  three  times,  for  she  writes  to 
urge  my  not  appearing  on  the  estate.  I  did  intend  to  pay 
her  a  visit ;  but  she  tells  me  that  it  might  lead  to  a  violent 
scene,  and  can  do  no  good.  As  the  rents  will  not  be  due 
until  autumn,  and  Master  Hugh  is  now  of  age  and  was  to 
be  here  to  look  after  his  own  affairs,  I  have  seen  no  motive 
for  incurring  the  risk  of  the  tarring  and  feathering.  We 
American  lawyers,  young  gentleman,  wear  no  wigs." 

"  Does  my  mother  write  herself,  or  employ  another  ?" 
inquired  my  uncle,  with  interest. 

"  She  honours  me  with  her  own  hand.  Your  mother 
writes  much  better  than  you  do  yourself,  Roger." 

"  That  is  owing  to  her  once  having  carried  chain,  as  she 
would  say  herself.  Has  Martha  written  to  you  ?" 

"  Of  course.  Sweet  little  Patty  and  I  are  bosom  friends, 
as  you  know." 

"  And  does  she  say  anything  of  the  Indian  and  the 
negro  ?" 

"  Jaaf  and  Susquesus  ?    To  be  sure  she  does.     Both  are 


THE     REDSKINS.  67 

living  still,  and  both  are  well.  I  saw  them  myself,  and  even 
ate  of  their  venison,  so  lately  as  last  winter." 

"  Those  old  fellows  must  have  each  lived  a  great  deal 
more  than  his  century,  Jack.  They  were  with  my  grand 
father  in  the  old  French  war,  as  active,  useful  men — older, 
then,  than  my  grandfather  !" 

"Ay  !  a  nigger  or  a  redskin,  before  all  others,  for  holding 
on  to  life,  when  they  have  been  temperate.  Let  me  see — 
that  expedition  of  Abercrombie's  was  about  eighty  years 
since ;  why,  these  fellows  must  be  well  turned  of  their  hun 
dred,  though  Jaap  is  rather  the  oldest,  judging  from  appear 
ances." 

"  I  believe  no  one  knows  the  age  of  either.  A  hundred 
each  has  been  thought,  now,  for  many  years.  Susquesus 
was  surprisingly  active,  too,  when  I  last  saw  him — like  a 
healthy  man  of  eighty." 

"  He  has  failed  of  late,  though  he  actually  shot  a  deer,  as 
I  told  you,  last  winter.  Both  the  old  fellows  stray  iown  to 
the  Nest,  Martha  writes  me ;  and  the  Indian  is  highly  scan 
dalized  at  the  miserable  imitations  of  his  race  that  are  now 
abroad.  I  have  even  heard  that  he  and  Yop  have  actually 
contemplated  taking  the  field  against  them.  Seneca  New- 
come  is  their  especial  aversion." 

"  How  is  Opportunity  ?"  I  inquired.  "  Does  she  take  any 
part  in  this  movement?" 

"A  decided  one,  I  hear.  She  is  anti-rent,  while  she 
wishes  to  keep  on  good  terms  with  her  landlord  ;  and  that 
is  endeavouring  to  serve  God  and  Mammon.  She  is  not 
the  first,  however,  by  a  thousand,  that  wears  two  faces  in 
this  business." 

"Hugh  has  a  deep  admiration  of  Opportunity,"  observed 
my  uncle,  "  and  you  had  needs  be  tender  in  your  strictures. 
The  modern  Seneca,  I  take  it,  is  dead  against  us  ?" 

"  Seneky  wishes  to  go  to  the  legislature,  and  of  course  he 
is  on  the  side  of  votes.  Then  his  brother  is  a  tenant  at  the 
mill,  and  naturally  wishes  to  be  the  landlord.  He  is  also 
interested  in  the  land  himself.  One  thing  has  struck  me  in 
this  controversy  as  highly  worthy  of  notice ;  and  it  is  the 
naivete  with  which  men  reconcile  the  obvious  longings  of 
covetousness  with  what  they  are  pleased  to  fancy  the  prin 
ciples  of  liberty  !  When  a  man  has  worked  a  farm  a  cer- 


68  THE     REDSKINS. 

tain  number  of  years,  he  boldly  sets  up  the  doctrine  that  the 
fact  itself  gives  him  a  high  moral  claim  to  possess  it  for 
ever.  A  moment's  examination  will  expose  the  fallacy  by 
which  these  sophists  apply  the  flattering  unction  to  their 
souls.  They  work  their  farms  under  a  lease,  and  in  virtue 
of  its  covenants.  Now,  in  a  moral  sense,  all  that  time  can 
do  in  such  a  case,  is  to  render  these  covenants  the  more 
sacred,  and  consequently  more  binding  ;  but  these  worthies, 
whose  morality  is  all  on  one  side,  imagine  that  these  time- 
honoured  covenants  give  them  a  right  to  fly  from  their  own 
conditions  during  their  existence,  and  to  raise  pretensions 
far  exceeding  anything  they  themselves  confer,  the  moment 
they  cease." 

"  Poh,  poh  !  Jack  ;  there  is  no  need  of  refining  at  all,  to 
come  at  the  merits  of  such  a  question.  This  is  a  civilized 
country,  or  it  is  not.  If  it  be  a  civilized  country,  it  will 
respect  the  rights  of  property,  and  its  own  laws ;  and  if  the 
reverse,  it  will  not  respect  them.  As  for  setting  up  the  doe- 
trine,  at  this  late  day,  when  millions  and  millions  are  in 
vested  in  this  particular  species  of  property,  that  the  lease 
hold  tenure  is  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  institutions  of  which 
it  has  substantially  formed  a  part,  ever  since  those  institu 
tions  have  themselves  had  an  existence,  it  requires  a  bold 
front,  and  more  capacity  than  any  man  at  Albany  possesses, 
to  make  the  doctrines  go  down.  Men  may  run  off  with  the 
notion  that  the  tendencies  to  certain  abuses,  which  mark 
every  system,  form  their  spirit ;  but  this  is  a  fallacy  that  a 
very  little  thought  will  correct.  Is  it  true  that  proposals 
have  actually  been  made,  by  these  pretenders  to  liberty,  to 
appoint  commissioners  to  act  as  arbitrators  between  the 
landlords  and  tenants,  and  to  decide  points  that  no  one  has 
any  right  to  raise  ?" 

"  True  as  Holy  Writ ;  and  a  regular  « Star  Chamber' 
tribunal  it  would  be !  It  is  wonderful,  after  all,  how  ex 
tremes  do  meet !" 

"  That  is  as  certain  as  the  return  of  the  sun  after  night. 
But  let  us  now  talk  of  our  project,  Jack,  and  of  the  means 
of  getting  among  these  self-deluded  men — deluded  by  their 
own  covetousness  —  without  being  discovered ;  for  I  am 
determined  to  see  them,  and  to  judge  of  their  motives  and 
conduct  for  myself." 


THE     REDSKINS.  OSf 

"  Take  care  of  the  tar-barrel,  and  of  the  pillow-case  of 
feathers,  Roger !" 

"  I  shall  endeavour  so  to  do." 

We  then  discussed  the  matter  before  us  at  length  and 
leisurely.  I  shall  not  relate  all  that  was  said,  as  it  would 
be  going  over  the  same  ground  twice,  but  refer  the  reader 
to  the  regular  narrative.  At  the  usual  hour,  we  retired  to 
our  beds,  retaining  the  name  of  Davidson,  as  convenient 
and  prudent.  Next  day  Mr.  John  Dunning  busied  himself 
in  our  behalf,  and  made  himself  exceedingly  useful  to  us. 
In  his  character  of  an  old  bachelor,  he  had  many  acquaint 
ances  at  the  theatre ;  and  through  his  friends  of  the  green 
room  he  supplied  each  of  us  with  a  wig.  Both  my  uncle 
and  myself  spoke  German  reasonably  well,  and  our  original 
plan  was  to  travel  in  the  characters  of  immigrant  trinket 
and  essence  pedlars.  But  I  had  a  fancy  for  a  hand-organ 
and  a  monkey ;  and  it  was  finally  agreed  that  Mr.  Hugh 
Roger  Littlepage,  senior,  was  to  undertake  this  adventure 
with  a  box  of  cheap  watches  and  gilded  trinkets ;  while  Mr. 
Hugh  Roger  Littlepage,  junior,  was  to  commence  his  travels 
at  home,  in  the  character  of  a  music-grinder.  Modesty 
will  not  permit  me  to  say  all  I  might,  in  favour  of  my  own 
skill  in  music  in  general ;  but  I  sang  well  for  an  amateur, 
and  played,  both  on  the  violin  and  flute,  far  better  than  is 
common. 

Everything  was  arranged  in  the  course  of  the  following 
day,  our  wigs  of  themselves  completely  effecting  all  the 
disguises  that  were  necessary.  As  for  my  uncle,  he  was 
nearly  bald,  and  a  wig  was  no  great  encumbrance ;  but  my 
shaggy  locks  gave  me  some  trouble.  A  little  clipping,  how 
ever,  answered  the  turn ;  and  I  had  a  hearty  laugh  at  my 
self,  in  costume,  that  afternoon,  before  Dunning's  dressing- 
room  glass.  We  got  round  the  felony  law,  about  being 
armed  and  disguised,  by  carrying  no  weapons  but  our  toois 
in  the  way  of  trade. 


70  THE     RED  SKINS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

»  And  she  hath  smiles  to  earth  unknown- 
Smiles,  that  with  motion  of  their  own 
Do  spread,  and  sink,  and  rise; 

That  come  and  go  with  endless  play  * 

And  ever,  as  they  pass  away, 
Are  hidden  in  her  eyes." 

WORDSWOKTH 

if- 

I  WAS  early  in  costume  the  following  morning.  I  ques 
tion  if  my  own  mother  could  have  known  me,  had  she  lived 
long  enough  to  see  the  whiskers  sprout  on  my  cheeks,  and 
to  contemplate  my  countenance  as  a  man.  I  went  into 
Dunning's  library,  drew  the  little  hurdy-gurdy  from  its 
hiding-place,  slung  it,  and  began  to  play  St.  Patrick's  Day 
in  the  Morning,  with  spirit,  and,  I  trust  I  may  add,  with 
execution.  I  was  in  the  height  of  the  air,  when  the  door 
opened,  and  Barney  thrust  his  high-cheeked-bone  face  into 
the  room,  his  mouth  as  wide  open  as  that  of  a  frozen 
porker. 

"  Where  the  divil  did  ye  come  from  ?"  demanded  the  new 
footman,  with  the  muscles  of  that  vast  aperture  of  his  work 
ing  from  grin  to  grim,  and  grim  to  grin  again.  "  Yee  's 
wilcome  to  the  tchune ;  but  how  comes  ye  here  ?" 

"I  coomes  vrom  Halle,  in  Preussen.  Vat  isht  your 
vaterland  ?" 

"Beyeesa  Jew?" 

"  Nein — I  isht.  a  goot  Christian.  Vilt  you  haf  Yankee 
Tootle?" 

"Yankee  T'under !  Ye '11  wake  up  the  masther,  and 
he'll  be  displais'd,  else  ye  might  work  upon  t'at  tchune  till 
the  end  of  time.  That  I  should  hear  it  here,  in  my  own 
iiberary,  and  ould  Ireland  t'ree  thousand  laigues  away  !" 

A  laugh  from  Dunning  interrupted  the  dialogue,  when 
Barney  vanished,  no  doubt  anticipating  some  species  of 
American  punishment  for  a  presumed  delinquency.  Whe 
ther  the  blundering,  well-meaning,  honest  fellow  really 
ascertained  who  we  were  that  breakfasted  with  his  master, 


THE    REDSKINS.  71 

I  do  not  know ;  but  we  got  the  meal  and  left  the  house 
without  seeing  his  face  again,  Dunning  having  a  young 
yellow  fellow  to  do  the  service  of  the  table. 

I  need  scarcely  say  that  I  felt  a  little  awkward  at  finding 
myself  in  the  streets  of  New  York  in  such  a  guise ;  but  the 
gravity  and  self-possession  of  my  uncle  were  a  constant 
source  of  amusement  to  me.  He  actually  sold  a  watch  on 
the  wharf  before  the  boat  left  it,  though  I  imputed  his  suc 
cess  to  the  circumstance  that  his  price  was  what  a  brother 
dealer,  who  happened  to  be  trading  in  the  same  neighbour 
hood,  pronounced  "  onconscionably  low."  We  took  a 
comfortable  state-room  between  us,  under  the  pretence  of 
locking-up  our  property,  and  strolled  about  the  boat,  gaping 
and  looking  curious,  as  became  our  class. 

"  Here  are  at  least  a  dozen  people  that  I  know,"  said  my 
uncle,  as  we  were  lounging  around — loafing  around,  is  the 
modern  Doric — about  the  time  that  the  boat  was  paddling 
past  Fort  Washington ;  "  I  have  reconnoitred  in  all  quar 
ters,  and  find  quite  a  dozen.  I  have  been  conversing  with 
an  old  school-fellow,  and  one  with  whom  I  have  ever  lived 
in  tolerable  intimacy,  for  the  last  ten  minutes,  and  find  my 
broken  English  and  disguise  are  perfect.  I  am  confident 
my  dear  mother  herself  would  not  recognise  me*." 

"  We  can  then  amuse  ourselves  with  my  grandmother 
and  the  young  ladies,"  I  answered,  "  when  we  reach  the 
Nest.  For  my  part,  it  strikes  me  that  we  had  better  keep 
our  own  secret  to  the  last  moment." 

"  Hush  !  As  I  live,  there  is  Seneca  Newcome  this  mo 
ment  !  He  is  coming  this  way,  and  we  must  be  Germans 
again." 

Sure  enough,  there  was  'Squire  Seneky,  as  the  honest 
farmers  around  the  Nest  call  him ;  though  many  of  them 
must  change  their  practices,  or  it  will  shortly  become  so 
absurd  to  apply  the  term  "  honest"  to  them,  that  no  one  will 
have  the  hardihood  to  use  it.  Newcome  came  slowly  to 
wards  the  forecastle,  on  which  we  were  standing ;  and  my 
uncle  determined  to  get  into  conversation  with  him,  as  a 
means  of  further  proving  the  virtue  of  our  disguises,  as  well 
as  possibly  of  opening  the  way  to  some  communications  that 
might  facilitate  our  visit  to  the  Nest.  With  this  view,  the 
pretended  pedlar  drew  a  watch  from  his  pocket,  and,  offer. 


72  THE     REDSKINS. 

ing  it  meekly  to  the  inspection  of  the  quasi  lawyer,  he 
said — 

"  Puy  a  vatch,  shentlemans  ?" 

"  Hey !  what  ?  Oh  !  a  watch,"  returned  Seneca,  in  that 
high,  condescending,  vulgar  key,  with  which  the  salt  of  the 
earth  usually  affect  to  treat  those  they  evidently  think  much 
beneath  them  in  intellect,  station,  or  some  other  great  essen 
tial,  at  the  very  moment  they  are  bursting  with  envy,  and 
denouncing  as  aristocrats  all  who  are  above  them.  "  Hey  ! 
a  watch,  is  it  ?  What  countryman  are  you,  friend  ?" 

"A  Charmans — ein  Teutscher." 

"A  German — ine  Tycher  is  the  place  you  come  from,  I 
s'pose?" 

"  Nein — ein  Teutscher  isht  a  Charman." 

"  Oh,  yes  !  I  understand.  How  long  have  you  been  in 
Ameriky  ?" 

"  Twelf  moont's." 

"  Why,  that 's  most  long  enough  to  make  you  citizens. 
Where  do  you  live?" 

"  Nowhere ;  I  lifs  jest  asht  it  happens — soometimes  here, 
ant  soometimes  dere." 

"Ay,  ay !  I  understand — no  legal  domicile,  but  lead  a 
wandering  life.  Have  you  many  of  these  watches  for  sale  ?" 

"  Yees — I  haf  asht  many  as  twenty.  Dey  are  as  sheep 
as  dirt,  and  go  like  pig  clocks." 

'And  what  may  be  your  price  for  this  ?" 

"  Dat  you  can  haf  for  only  eight  tollars.  Effery  poty 
wilt  say  it  is  golt,  dat  doesn't  know  petter." 

"Oh!  it  isn't  gold  then  —  I  swan!"  —  what  this  oath 
meant  I  never  exactly  knew,  though  I  suppose  it  to  be  a 
puritan  mode  of  saying  "  I  swear !"  the  attempts  to  cheat 
the  devil  in  this  way  being  very  common  among  their  pious 
descendants,  though  even  "  Smith  Thompson"  himself  can 
do  no  man  any  good  in  such  a  case  of  conscience — "  I 
swan  !  you  come  plaguy  near  taking  even  me  in  !  Wil» 
you  come  down  from  that  price  any  ?" 

"  If  you  wilt  gif  me  some  atfice,  perhaps  I  may.  You 
look  like  a  goot  shentlemans,  and  one  dat  woultn't  sheat  a 
poor  Charmans ;  ant  effery  poty  wants  so  much  to  sheat  de 
poor  Charmans,  dat  I  will  take  six,  if  you  will  drow  in  some 
atfice." 


THE     REDSKINS.  73 

"Advice  ?  You  have  come  to  the  right  man  for  that ! 
Walk  a  little  this  way,  where  we  shall  be  alone.  What  is 
the  natur'  of  the  matter — action  on  the  case,  or  a  tort  ?" 

"  Nein,  nein !  it  isht  not  law  dat  I  wants,  put  atfice." 

"  Well,  but  advice  leads  to  law,  ninety-nine  times  in  a 
nundred." 

"  Ya,  ya !"  answered  the  pedlar,  laughing ;  "  dat  may  be 
so;  put  it  isht  not  what  I  vants — I  vants  to  know  vere  a 
Charman  can  trafel  wit'  his  goots  in  de  coontry,  and  not  in 
de  pig  towns." 

"  I  understand  you — six  dollars,  hey  !  That  sounds  high 
for  such  a  looking  watch" — he  had  just  before  mistaken  it 
for  gold — "  but  I  'm  always  the  poor  man's  friend,  and  de 
spise  aristocracy" — what  Seneca  hated  with  the  strongest 
hate,  he  ever  fancied  he  despised  the  most,  and  by  aristo 
cracy  he  merely  understood  gentlemen  and  ladies,  in  the 
true  signification  of  the  words — "  why,  I  'm  always  ready 
to  help  along  the  honest  citizen.  If  you  could  make  up 
your  mind,  now,  to  part  with  this  one  watch  for  nawthin', 
I  think  I  could  tell  you  a  part  of  the  country  where  you 
might  sell  the  other  nineteen  in  a  week." 

"  Goot !"  exclaimed  my  uncle,  cheerfully.  "  Take  him— 
he  ist  your  broberty,  and  wilcome.  Only  show  me  de  town 
where  I  canst  sell  de  nineteen  udders." 

Had  my  uncle  Ro  been  a  true  son  of  peddling,  he  would 
have  charged  a  dollar  extra  on  each  of  the  nineteen,  and 
nmde  eleven  dollars  by  his  present  liberality. 

'*  It  is  no  town  at  all — only  a  township,"  returned  the 
literal  Seneca.  "  Did  you  expect  it  would  be  a  city  ?" 

"  Vat  cares  I  ?  I  woult  radder  sell  my  valches  to  goot, 
honest,  country  men,  dan  asht  to  de  best  burghers  in  de 
land." 

"  You  're  my  man !  The  right  spirit  is  in  you.  I  hope 
you  're  no  patroon — no  aristocrat?" 

"  I  don't  know  vat  isht  badroon,  or  vat  isht  arishtocrat." 

"  No !  You  are  a  happy  man  in  your  ignorance.  A 
patroon  is  a  nobleman  who  owns  another  man's  land ;  and 
an  aristocrat  is  a  body  that  thinks  himself  better  than  his 
neighbours,  friend." 

"  Well  den,  I  isht  no  badroon,  for  I  don't  own  no  land 
7 


74  THEREDSKINS. 

at  all,  not  even  mine  own  ;  and  I  ishn't  petter  asht  no  poty 
at  all." 

"  Yes,  you  be  ;  you  've  only  to  think  so,  and  you  '11  be 
the  greatest  gentleman  of  'em  all." 

"  Well,  den,  I  will  dry  and  dink  so,  and  be  petter  asht  de 
greatest  shentlemans  of  dem  all.  But  dat  won't  do,  nudder, 
as  dat  vilt  make  me  petter  dan  you ;  for  you  are  one  of  de 
greatest  of  dem  all,  shentlemans." 

"  Oh !  as  for  me,  let  me  alone.  I  scorn  being  on  their 
level.  I  go  for  '  Down  with  the  rent !'  and  so  '11  you,  too, 
afore  you  've  been  a  week  in  our  part  of  the  country." 

"  Vat  isht  de  rent  dat  you  vants  to  git  down  ?" 

"  It 's  a  thing  that 's  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  institu 
tions,  as  you  can  see  by  my  feelin's  at  this  very  moment. 
But  no  matter !  I  yll  keep  the  watch,  if  you  say  so,  and 
show  you  the  way  into  that  part  of  the  country,  as  your 
pay." 

"Agreet,  shentlemans.  Vat  I  vants  is  atfice,  and  vat  you 
vants  is  a  vatch." 

Here  uncle  Ro  laughed  so  much  like  himself,  when  he 
ought  clearly  to  have  laughed  in  broken  English,  that  I  was 
very  much*  afraid  he  might  give  the  alarm  to  our  companion  ; 
but'he  did  not.  From  that  time,  the  best  relations  existed 
between  us  and  Seneca,  who,  in  the  course  of  the  day, 
recognised  us  by  sundry  smiles  and  winks,  though  I  could 
plainly  see  he  did  not  like  the  anti-aristocratic  principle 
sufficiently  to  wish  to  seem  too  intimate  with  us.  Before  we 
reached  the  islands,  however,  he  gave  us  directions  where 
to  meet  him  in  the  morning,  and  we  parted,  when  the  boat 
stopped  alongside  of  the  pier  at  Albany  that  afternoon,  the 
best  friends  in  the  world. 

"Albany  !  dear,  good  old  Albany!"  exclaimed  my  uncle 
Ro,  as  we  stopped  on  the  draw  of  the  bridge  to  look  at  the 
busy  scene  in  the  basin,  where  literally  hundreds  of  canal- 
boats  were  either  lying  to  discharge  or  to  load,  or  were 
coming  and  going,  to  say  nothing  of  other  craft ;  "  dear, 
good  old  Albany  !  you  are  a  town  to  which  I  ever  return 
with  pleasure,  for  you  at  least  never  disappoint  me.  A 
first-rate  country-place  you  are ;  and,  though  I  miss  your 
quaint  old  Dutch  church,  and  your  rustic-looking  old  Eng- 


THE     REDSKINS.  75 

Ksh  church  from  the  centre  of  your  principal  street,  almost 
every  change  you  make  is  respectable.  I  know  nothing 
that  tells  so  much  against  you  as  changing  the  name  of 
Market  street  by  the  paltry  imitation  of  Broadway ;  but, 
considering  that  a  horde  of  Yankees  have  come  down  upon 
you  since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  you 
are  lucky  that  the  street  was  not  called  the  Appian  Way. 
But,  excellent  old  Albany  !  whom  even  the  corruptions  of 
politics  cannot  change  in  the  core,  lying  against  thy  hill 
side,  and  surrounded  with  thy  picturesque  scenery,  there  is 
an  air  of  respectability  about  thee  that  I  admire,  and  a  quiet 
prosperity  that  I  love.  Yet",  how  changed  since  my  boy 
hood  !  Thy  simple  stoups  have  all  vanished ;  thy  gables 
are  disappearing;  marble  and  granite  are  rising  in  thy 
streets,  too,  but  they  take  honest  shapes,  and  are  free  from 
the  ambition  of  mounting  on  stilts ;  thy  basin  has  changed 
the  whole  character  of  thy  once  semi-sylvan,  semi-commer 
cial  river ;  but  it  gives  to  thy  young  manhood  an  appear 
ance  of  abundance  and  thrift  that  promise  well  for  thy  age  !" 
The  reader  may  depend  on  it  that  I  laughed  heartily  at 
this  rhapsody ;  for  I  could  hardly  enter  into  my  uncle's 
feelings.  Albany  is  certainly  a  very  good  sort  of  a  place,  and 
relatively  a  more  respectable-looking  town  than  the  "  com 
mercial  emporium,"  which,  after  all,  externally,  is  a  mere 
huge  expansion  of  a  very  marked  mediocrity,  with  the  pre* 
tension  of  a  capital  in  its  estimate  of  itself.  But  Albany 
lays  no  claim  to  be  anything  more  than  a  provincial  town 
and  in  that  class  it  is  highly  placed.  By  the  way,  there  is 
nothing  in  which  "  our  people,"  to  speak  idiomatically,  more 
deceive  themselves,  than  in  their  estimate  of  what  composes 
a  capital.  It  would  be  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  the  repre 
sentatives  of  such  a  government  as  this  could  impart  to  any 
place  the  tone,  opinions,  habits  and  manners  of  a  capital* 
for,  if  they  did,  they  would  impart  it  on  the  novel  principle 
of  communicating  that  which  they  do  not  possess  in  their 
own  persons.  Congress  itself,  though  tolerably  free  from 
most  shackles,  including  those  of  the  constitution,  is  not  up 
tc  that.  In  my  opinion,  a  man  accustomed  to  the  world 
might  be  placed  blindfolded  in  the  most  finished  quarter  of 
New  York,  and  the  place  has  new  quarters  in  which  the 
incongruities  I  have  already  mentioned  do  not  exist,  and, 


76  THEREDSKINS. 

my  life  on  it,  he  could  pronounce,  as  soon  as  the  bandagt 
was  removed,  that  he  was  not  in  a  town  where  the  tone  of 
a  capital  exists.  The  last  thing,  to  make  a  capital  is  trade. 
Indeed  the  man  who  hears  the  words  "  business"  and  "  the 
merchants"  ringing  in  his  ears,  may  safely  conclude,  de 
facto,  that  he  is  not  in  a  capital.  Now,  a  New-York  village 
is  often  much  less  rustic  than  the  villages  of  the  most  ad 
vanced  country  of  Europe;  but  a  New-York  town  is  many 
degrees  below  any  capital  of  a  large  State  in  the  old  world. 
Will  New  York  ever  be  a  capital  ?  Yes — out  of  all  ques 
tion,  yes.  But  the  day  will  not  come  until  after  the  sudden 
changes  of  condition  which  immediately  and  so  naturally 
succeeded  the  revolution,  have  ceased  to  influence  ordinary 
society,  and  those  above  again  impart  to  those  below  more 
than  they  receive.  This  restoration  to  the  natural  state  of 
things  must  take  place,  as  soon  as  society  gets  settled ;  and 
there  will  be  nothing  to  prevent  a  town  living  under  pur 
own  institutions — spirit,  tendencies  and  all — from  obtaining 
the  highest  tone  that  ever  yet  prevailed  in  a  capital.  The 
folly  is  in  anticipating  the  natural  course  of  events.  No 
thing  will  more  hasten  these  events,  however,  than  a  litera 
ture  that  is  controlled,  not  by  the  lower,  but  by  the  higher 
opinion  of  the  country ;  which  literature  is  yet,  in  a  great 
degree,  to  be  created. 

I  had  dispensed  with  the  monkey,  after  trying  to  get 
along  with  the  creature  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  went  around 
only  with  my  music.  I  would  rather  manage  an  army  of 
anti-renters  than  one  monkey.  With  the  hurdy-gurdy  slung 
around  my  neck,  therefore,  I  followed  my  uncle,  who  actu 
ally  sold  another  watch  before  we  reached  a  tavern.  Of 
course  we  did  not  presume  to  go  to  Congress  Hall,  or  the 
Eagle,  for  we  knew  we  should  not  be  admitted.  This  was 
the  toughest  part  of  our  adventures.  I  am  of  opinion  my 
uncle  made  a  mistake;  for  he  ventured  to  a  second-class 
house,  under  the  impression  that  one  of  the  sort  usually 
frequented  by  men  of  our  supposed  stamp  might  prove  too 
coarse  for  us,  altogether.  I  think  we  should  have  been 
better  satisfied  with  the  coarse  fare  of  a  coarse  tavern,  than 
with  the  shabby-genteel  of  the  house  we  blundered  into. 
In  the  former,  everything  would  have  reminded  us,  in  a  way 
we  expected  to  be  reminded,  that  we  were  out  of  the  com 


THE     REDSKINS.  77 

mon  track ;  and  we  might  have  been  amused  with  the 
change,  though  it  is  one  singularly  hard  to  be  endured.  I  re 
member  to  have  heard  a  young  man,  accustomed  from  child 
hood  to  the  better  habits  of  the  country,  but  who  went  to  sea  a 
lad,  before  the  mast,  declare  that  the  coarseness  of  his  ship 
mates,  and  there  is  no  vulgarity  about  a  true  sailor,  even 
when  coarsest,  gave  him  more  trouble  to  overcome,  tjjan  all 
the  gales,  physical  sufferings,  labour,  exposures  and  dan 
gers,  put  together.  I  must  confess,  I  have  found  it  so,  too, 
in  my  little  experience.  While  acting  as  a  strolling  musi 
cian,  I  could  get  along  with  anything  better  than  the  coarse 
habits  which  I  encountered  at  the  table.  Your  silver-fork- 
isms,  and  your  purely  conventional  customs,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  no  man  of  the  world  attaches  any  serious  import 
ance  to ;  but  there  are  conventionalities  that  belong  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  civilized  society,  which  become 
second  nature,  and  with  which  it  gets  to  be  hard,  indeed,  to 
dispense.  I  shall  say  as  little  as  possible  of  the  disagree 
ables  of  my  new  trade,  therefore,  but  stick  to  the  essentials. 
The  morning  of  the  day  which  succeeded  that  of  our 
arrival  at  Albany,  my  uncle  Ro  and  I  took  our  seats  in  the 
train,  intending  to  go  to  Saratoga,  via  Troy.  I  wonder  the 
Trojan  who  first  thought  of  playing  this  travestie  on  Homer, 
did  not  think  of  calling  the  place  Troyville,  or  Troybo- 
rough !  That  would  have  been  semi-American,  at  least, 
whereas  the  present  appellation  is  so  purely  classical !  It 
is  impossible  to  walk  through  the  streets  of  this  neat  and 
flourishing  town,  which  already  counts  its  twenty  thousand 
souls,  and  not  have  the  images  of  Achilles,  and  Hector,  and 
Priam,  and  Hecuba,  pressing  on  the  imagination  a  little 
uncomfortably.  Had  the  place  been  called  Try,  the  name 
would  have  been  a  sensible  one;  for  it  is  trying  all  it  can 
to  get  the  better  of  Albany ;  and,  much  as  I  love  the  latter 
venerable  old  town,  I  hope  Troy  may  succeed  in  its  trying 
to  prevent  the  Hudson  from  being  bridged.  By  the  way,  I 
will  here  remark,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  never 
•een  any  country  but  their  own,  that  there  is  a  view  on  the 
road  between  Schenectady  and  this  Grecian  place,  just 
where  the  heights  give  the  first  full  appearance  of  the  valley 
of  the  Hudson,  including  glimpses  of  Waterford,  Lansing- 
burg  and  Albany,  with  a  full  view  of  both  Troys,  which 
7* 


78  THE     REDSKINS. 

gives  one  a  better  idea  of  the  affluence  of  European  scenery 
than  almost  any  other  spot  I  can  recall  in  America.  To  my 
hurdy-gurdy  : 

I  made  my  first  essay  as  a  musician  in  public  beneath  the 
windows  of  the  principal  inn  of  Troy.  I  cannot  say  much 
in  favour  of  the  instrument,  though  I  trust  the  playing  itself 
was  somewhat  respectable.  This  I  know  full  well,  that  I 
soon  brought  a  dozen  fair  faces  to  the  windows  of  the  inn, 
and  that  each  was  decorated  with  a  smile.  Then  it  was 
that  I  regretted  the  monkey.  Such  an  opening  could  not 
but. awaken  the  dormant  ambition  of  even  a  "  patriot"  of 
the  purest  water,  and  I  will  own  I  was  gratified. 

Among  the  curious  who  thus  appeared,  were  nvo  whom 
I  at  once  supposed  to  be  father  and  daughter.  The  former 
was  a  clergyman,  and,  as  I  fancied  by  something  in  his  air 
of  "the  Church,''  begging  pardon  of  those  who  take  offence 
at  this  exclusive  title,  and  to  whom  I  will  just  give  a  hint  in 
^passing.  Any  one  at  all  acquainted  with  mankind,  will  at 
once  understand  that  no  man  who  is  certain  of  possessing 
any  particular  advantage,  ever  manifests  much  sensibility 
because  another  lays  claim  to  it  also.  In  the  constant 
struggles  of  the  jealous,  for  instance,  on  the  subject  of  that 
universal  source  of  jealous  feeling,  social  position,  the  man 
or  woman  who  is  conscious  of  claims  never  troubles  him 
self  or  herself  about  them.  For  them  the  obvious  fact  is 
sufficient.  If  it  be  answered  to  this  that  the  pretension  of 
"  the  Church"  is  exclusive,  I  shall  admit  it  is,  and  "  con 
clusive,"  too.  It  is  not  exclusive,  however,  in  the  sense 
urged,  since  no  one  denies  that  there  are  many  branches  to 
"the  Church,"  although  those  branches  do  not  embrace 
everything.  I  would  advise  those  who  take  offence  at  "  our" 
styling  "  ourselves"  "  the  Church,"  to  style  themselves  "the 
Church,"  just  as  they  call  all  their  parsons  bishops,  and  see 
who  will  care  about  it.  That  is  a  touchstone  which  will 
soon  separate  the  true  metal  from  the  alloy. 

My  parson,  I  could  easily  see,  was  a  Church  clergyman 
—not  a  meeting-house  clergyman.  How  I  ascertained  that 
fact  at  a  glance,  I  shall  not  reveal ;  but  I  also  saw  in  his 
countenance  some  of  that  curiosity  which  marks  simplicity 
of  character :  it  was  not  a  vulgar  feeling,  but  one  which 
induced  him  to  beckon  me  to  approach  a  little  nearer.  I  did 


THE     REDSKINS 


79 


so,  when  he  invited  me  in.  It  was  a  little  awkward,  at 
first,  I  must  acknowledge,  to  be  beckoned  about  in  this 
manner ;  but  there  was  something  in  the  air  and  counte 
nance  of  the  daughter  that  induced  me  not  to  hesitate  about 
complying.  I  cannot  say  that  her  beauty  was  so  very  strik 
ing,  though  she  was  decidedly  pretty ;  but  the  expression 
of^her  face,  eyes,  smile,  and  all  put  together,  was  so  singu 
larly  sweet  and  feminine",  that  I  felt  impelled  by  a  sympathy 
I  shall  not  attempt  to  explain,  to  enter  the  house,  and  ascend 
to  the  door  of  a  parlour  that  I  saw  at  once  was  public, 
though  it  then  contained  no  one  but  my  proper  hosts. 

"  Walk  in,  young  man,"  said  the  father,  in  a  benevolent 
tone  of  voice.     "  I  'am  curious  to  see  that  instrument;  and 
my  daughter  here,  who  has  a  taste  for  music,  wishes  it  as 
much  as  I  do  myself.     What  do  you  call  it  ?" 
"  Hurty-gurty,"  I  answered. 

"  From  what  part  of  the  world  do  you  come,  my  young 
friend  ?"  continued  the  clergyman,  raising  his  meek  eyes  to 
wiine  still  more  curiously. 

"  Vrom  Charmany ;  vrom  Preussen,  vere  did  reign  so 
late  de  good  Koenig  Wilhelm." 
"  What  does  he  say,  Molly  ?" 

So  the  pretty  creature  bore  the  name  of  Mary  !  I  liked 
the  Molly,  too ;  it  was  a  good  sign,  as  none  but  the  truly 
respectable  dare  use  such  familiar  appellations  in  these 
ambitious  times.  Molly  sounded  as  if  these  people  had  the 
aplomb  of  position  and  conscious  breeding.  Had  they  been 
vulgar,  it  would  have  been  Mollissa. 

"  It  is  not  difficult  to  translate,  father,"  answered  one  of 
the  sweetest  voices  that  had  ever  poured  its  melody  on  my 
ear,  and  which  was  rendered  still  more  musical  by  the  slight 
laugh  that  mingled  with  it.  "  He  says  he  is  from  Germany 
—  from  Prussia,  where  the  good  King  William  lately 
reigned." 

I  liked  the  "  father,"  too— that  sounded  refreshing,  after 
passing  a  night  among  a  tribe  of  foul-nosed  adventurers  in 
humanity,  every  one  of  whom  had  done  his  or  her  share 
towards  caricaturing  the  once  pretty  appellatives  of  "  Pa" 
and  "Ma."  A  young  lady  may  still  say  "Papa,"  or 
even  "  Mamma,"  though  it  were  far  better  that  she  said 


80  THE     REDSKINS. 

'«  Father"  and  "  Mother ;"  but  as  for  "  Pa"  and  "  Ma,"  they 
are  now  done  with  in  respectable  life.  They  will  not  even 
do  for  the  nursery. 

"And  this  instrument  is  a  hurdy-gurdy  ?"  continued  the 
clergyman.  "  What  have  we  here — the  name  spelt  on  it  ?" 

" Dat  isht  de  maker's  name — Hochstiel fecit" 

"  Fecit !"  repeated  the  clergyman  ;  "  is  that  German  ?" 

"  Neijfl — dat  isht  Latin  ;  facio,  fecit  factum,  facere — 
feci,feciste,  FECIT.  It  means  make,  I  suppose  you  know. 

The  parson  looked  at  me,  and  at  my  dress  and  figure 
with  open  surprise,  and  smiled  as  his  eye  glanced  at  his 
daughter.  If  asked  why  I  made  this  silly  display  of  lower- 
form  learning,  I  can  only  say  that  I  chafed  at  being  fancied 
a  mere  every-day  street  musician,  that  had  left  his  monkey 
at  home,  by  the  charming  girl  who  stood  gracefully  bending 
over  her  father's  elbow,  as  the  latter  examined  the  inscrip 
tion  that  was  stamped  on  a  small  piece  of  ivory  which  had 
been  let  into  the  instrument.  I  could  see  that  Mary  shrdnk 
back  a  little  under  the  sensitive  feeling,  so  natural  to  her 
sex,  tliat  she  was  manifesting  too  much  freedom  of  manner 
for  the  presence  of  a  youth  who  was  nearer  to  her  own  class 
than  she  could  have  supposed  it  possible  for  a  player  on  the 
hurdy-gurdy  to  be.  A  blush  succeeded  ;  but  the  glance  of 
the  soft  blue  eye  that  instantly  followed,  seemed  to  set  all  at 
rest,  and  she  leaned  over  her  father's  elbow  again. 

"  You  understand  Latin,  then  ?"  demanded  the  parent, 
examining  me  over  his  spectacles  from  head  to  foot. 

"A  leetle,  sir — just  a  ferry  leetle.  In  my  coontry,  efery 
mans  isht  obliget  to  be  a  soldier  some  time,  and  them  t'at 
knows  Latin  can  be  made  sergeants  and  corporals." 

"  That  is  Prussia,  is  it  ?" 

"  Ya — Preussen,  vere  so  late  did  reign  de  goot  Koenig 
Wilhelm." 

"And  is  Latin  much  understood  among  you?  I  have 
heard  that,  in  Hungary,  most  well-informed  persons  even 
speak  the  tongue." 

"  In  Charmany  it  isht  not  so.  We  all  Parnts  somet'ing, 
but  not  all  dost  1'arn  efery  t'ing." 

I  could  see  a  smile  struggling  around  the  sweet  lips  of 
that  dear  girl,  after  I  had  thus  delivered  myself,  as  I  fancied, 


THE     REDSKINS.  81 

wilh  a  most  accurate  inaccuracy;  but  she  succeeded  in 
repressing  it,  though  those  provoking  eyes  of  hers  continued 
to  laugh,  much  of  the  time  our  interview  lasted. 

"  Oh  !  I  very  well  know  that  in  Prussia  the  schools  are 
quite  good,  and  that  your  government  pays  great  attention 
to  the  wants  of  all  classes,"  rejoined  the  clergyman ;  "  but 
I  confess  some  surprise  that  you  should  understand  anything 
of  Latin.  Now,  even  in  this  country,  where  we  boast  so 
much " 

"  Ye-e-s,"  I  could  not  refrain  from  drawling  out,  "  dey 
does  poast  a  great  teal  in  dis  coontry !" 

Mary  actually  laughed  ;  whether  it  was  at  my  words,  or 
at  the  somewhat  comical  manner  I  had  assumed — a  manner 
in  which  simplicity  was  tant  soit  peu  blended  with  irony — 
I  shall  not  pretend  to  say.  As  for  the  father,  his  simplicity 
was  of  proof;  and,  after  civilly  waiting  until  my  interrup 
tion  was  done,  he  resumed  what  he  had  been  on  the  point 
of  saying. 

"I  was  about  to  add,"  continued  the  clergyman,  "that 
even  in  this  country,  where  we  boast  so  much" — the  little 
minx  of  a  daughter  passed  her  hand  over  her  eyes,  and 
fairly  coloured  with  the  effort  she  made  not  to  laugh  again 
-—"of  the  common  schools,  and  of  their  influence  on  the 
public  mind,  it  is  not  usual  to  find  persons  of  your  condition 
who  understand  the  dead  languages." 

"  Ye-e-s,"  I  replied  ;  "  it  isht  my  condition  "dat  misleats 
you,  sir.  Mine  fat'er  wast  a  shentlemans,  and  he  gifet  me 
as  goot  an  etication  as  de  Koenig  did  gif  to  de  Kron  Pririz." 

Here,  my  desire  to  appear  well  in  the  eyes  of  Mary 
caused  me  to  run  into  another  silly  indiscretion.  How  I 
was  to  explain  the  circumstance  of  the  son  of  a  Prussian 
gentleman,  whose  father  had  given  him  an  education  as 
good  as  that  which  the  King  of  his  country  had  given  to 
its  Crown  Prince,  being  in  the  streets  of  Troy,  playing  on 
a  hurdy-gurdy,  was  a  difficulty  I  did  not  reflect  on  for  a 
moment.  The  idea  of  being  thought  by  that  sweet  girl  a 
mere  uneducated  boor,  was  intolerable  to  me;  and  I  threw 
it  off  by  this  desperate  falsehood — false  in  its  accessories, 
but  true  in  its  main  facts — as  one  would  resent  an  insult. 
Fortune  favoured  me,  however,  far  more  than  I  had  any 
right  to  expect. 


82  THE     REDSKINS. 

There  is  a  singular  disposition  in  the  American  character 
to  believe  every  well-mannered  European  at  least  a  count. 
I  do  not  mean  that  those  who  have  seen  the  world  are  not 
like  other  persons  in  this  respect ;  but  a  very  great  propor 
tion  of  the  country  never  has  seen  any  other  world  than  a 
world  of  "  business."  The  credulity  on  this  subject  sur- 
passeth  belief;  and,  were  I  to  relate  facts  of  this  nature  that 
might  be  established  in  a  court  of  justice,  the  very  parties 
connected  with  them  would  be  ready  to  swear  that  they  are 
caricatures.  Now,  well-mannered  I  trust  I  am,  and,  though 
plainly  dressed  and  thoroughly  disguised,  neither  my  air 
nor  attire  was  absolutely  mean.  As  my  clothes  were  new, 
I  was  neat  in  my  appearance ;  and  there  were  possibly 
some  incongruities  about  the  last,  that  might  have  struck 
eyes  more  penetrating  than  those  of  my  companions.  I 
could  see  that  both  father  and  daughter  felt  a  lively  interest 
in  me,  the  instant  I  gave  them  reason  to  believe  I  was  one 
of  better  fortunes.  So  many  crude  notions  exist  among  us 
on  the  subject  of  convulsions  and  revolutions  in  Europe,  that 
I  dare  say,  had  I  told  any  improbable  tale  of  the  political 
condition  of  Prussia,  it  would  have  gone  down  ;  for  nothing 
so  much  resembles  the  ignorance  that  prevails  in  America, 
generally,  concerning  the  true  state  of  things  in  Europe,  as 
the  ignorance  that  prevails  in  Europe,  generally,  concerning 
the  true  state  of  things  in  America.  As  for  Mary,  her  soft 
eyes  seemed  to  me  to  be  imbued  with  thrice  their  customary 
gentleness  and  compassion,  as  she  recoiled  a  step  in  native 
modesty,  and  gazed  at  me,  when  I  had  made  my  reve 
lation. 

"  If  such  is  the  case,  my  young  friend,"  returned  the  cler 
gyman,  with  benevolent  interest,  "  you  ought,  and  might 
easily  be  placed  in  a  better  position  than  this  you  are  now 
in.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  Greek?" 

"  Certainly — Greek  is  moch  study  in  Charmany." 

'*  In  for  a  penny,  in  for  a  pound,'  I  thought. 

"And  the  modern  languages — do  you  understand  any  of 
them  ?" 

"  I  speaks  de  five  great  tongues  of  Europe,  more  ast  less 
well ;  and  I  read  dem  all,  easily." 

"  The  Jive  tongues  !"  said  the  clergyman,  counting  on  hU 
fingers ;  "  what  can  they  be,  Mary  ?" 


THE     REDSKINS.  83 

"  French,  and  German,  and  Spanish,  and  Italian,  I  sup 
pose,  sir." 

"These  make  but  four.  What  can  be  the  fifth,  my 
dear?" 

"  De  yoong  laty  forgets  de  Englisch.  De  Englisch  is 
das  funf." 

"  Oh  !  yes,  the  English  !"  exclaimed  the  pretty  creature, 
pressing  her  lips  together  to  prevent  laughing  in  my  face. 

"  True — I  had  forgotten  the  English,  not  being  accus 
tomed  to  think  of  it  as  a  mere  European  tongue.  I  sup 
pose,  young  man,  you  naturally  speak  the  English  less 
fluently  than  any  other  of  your  five  languages?" 

"  Ya !' 

Again  the  smile  struggled  to  the  lips  of  Mary. 

"  I  feel  a  deep  interest  in  you  as  a  stranger,  and  am  sorry 
we  have  only  met  to  part  so  soon.  Which  way  shall  you 
be  likely  to  direct  your  steps,  my  Prussian  young  friend?" 

"  I  go  to  a  place  which  is  callet  Ravensnest — goot  place 
to  sell  vatch,  dey  tells  me." 

"  Ravensnest !"  exclaimed  the  father. 

"  Ravensnest !"  repeated  the  daughter,  and  that  in  tone« 
which  put  the  hurdy-gurdy  to  shame. 

"  Why,  Ravensnest  is  the  place  where  I  live,  and  the 
parish  of  which  I  am  the  clergyman — the  Protestant  Epis 
copal  clergyman,  I  mean." 

This,  then,  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Warren,  the  divine  who 
had  been  called  to  our  church  the  very  summer  I  left  home, 
and  who  had  been  there  ever  since !  My  sister  Martha  had 
written  me  much  concerning  these  people,  and  I  felt  as  if  I 
had  known  them  for  years.  Mr.  Warren  was  a  man  of 
good  connexions,  and  some  education,  but  of  no  fortune 
whatever,  who  had  gone  into  the  Church— it  was  the  church 
of  his  ancestors,  one  of  whom  had  actually  been  an  English 
bishop,  a  century  or  two  ago—from  choice,  and  contrary  to 
the  wishes  of  his  friends.  As  a  preacher,  his  success  had 
never  been  great;  but  for  the  discharge  of  his  duties  no 
man  stood  higher,  and  no  man  was  more  respected.  The 
living  of  St.  Andrew's,  Ravensnest,  would  have  been  poor 
enough,  had  it  depended  on  the  contributions  of  the  parish 
ioners.  These  last  gave  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
R-year,  for  their  sharo  of  the  support  of  a  priest.  I  gave 


TIIEREDSKINS. 

another  hundred,  as  regularly  as  clock-work,  and  had  been 
made  to  do  so  throughout  a  long  minority ;  and  my  grand 
mother  and  sister  made  up  another  fifty  between  them. 
But  there  was  a  glebe  of  fifty  acres  of  capital  land,  a  wood- 
lot,  and  a  fund  of  two  thousand  dollars  at  interest ;  the 
whole  proceeding  from  endowments  made  by  my  grandfa 
ther,  during  his  lifetime.  Altogether,  the  living  may  have 
been  worth  a  clear  five  hundred  dollars  a-year,  in  addition 
to  a  comfortable  house,  hay,  wood,  vegetables,  pasture,  and 
some  advantages  in  the  way  of  small  crops.  Few  country 
clergymen  were  better  off  than  the  rector  of  St.  Andrew's, 
Ravensnest,  and  all  as  a  consequence  of  the  feudal  and 
aristocratic  habits  of  the  Littlepages,  though  I  say  it,  per 
haps,  who  might  better  not,  in  times  like  these. 

My  letters  had  told  me  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Warren  was  a 
widower ;  that  Mary  was  his  only  child ;  that  he  was  a 
truly  pious,  not  a  sham-pious,  and  a  really  zealous  clergy 
man  ;  a  man  of  purest  truth,  whose  word  was  gospel — of 
great  simplicity  and  integrity  of  mind  and  character ;  that 
he  never  spoke  evil  of  others,  and  that  a  complaint  of  this 
world  and  its  hardships  seldom  crossed  his  lips.  He  loved 
his  fellow-creatures,  both  naturally  and  on  principle ; 
mourned  over  the  state  of  the  diocese,  and  greatly  pre 
ferred  piety  even  to  high-churchism.  High-churchman  he 
was,  nevertheless  ;  though  it  was  not  a  high-churchmanship 
that  outweighed  the  loftier  considerations  of  his  Christian 
duties,  and  left  him  equally  without  opinions  of  his  own  in 
matters  of  morals,  and  without  a  proper  respect,  in  practice, 
for  those  that  he  had  solemnly  vowed  to  maintain. 

His  daughter  was  described  as  a  sweet-tempered,  arch, 
modest,  sensible,  and  well-bred  girl,  that  had  received  a  far 
better  education  than  her  father's  means  would  have  per 
mitted  him  to  bestow,  through  the  liberality  and  affection 
of  a  widowed  sister  of  her  mother's,  who  was  affluent,  and 
had  caused  her  to  attend  the  same  school  as  that  to  which 
she  had  sent  her  own  daughters.  In  a  word,  she  was  a 
most  charming  neighbour ;  and  her  presence  at  Ravensnest 
had  rendered  Martha's  annual  visits  to  the  "old  house" 
(built  in  1785)  not  only  less  irksome,  but  actually  pleasant. 
Such  had  been  my  sister's  account  of  the  Warrens  and 
their  qualities,  throughout  a  correspondence  of  five  years. 


THE     REDSKINS.  85 

I  have  even  fancied  that  she  loved  this  Mary  Warren  better 
than  she  loved  any  of  her  uncle's  wards,  herself  of  course 
excepted. 

The  foregoing  flashed  through  my  mind,  the  instant  the 
clergyman  announced  himself;  but  the  coincidence  of  our 
being  on  the  way  to  the  same  part  of  the  country,  seemed 
to  strike  him  as  forcibly  as  it  did  myself.  What  Mary 
thought  of  the  matter,  I  had  no  means  of  ascertaining. 

"This  is  singular  enough,"  resumed  Mr.Warren.  "  What 
has  directed  your  steps  towards  Ravensnest  ?" 

"  Dey  tell  mine  ooncle  'tis  goot  place  to  sell  moch  vatch." 

"  You  have  an  uncle,  then  ?  Ah  !  I  see  him  there  in  the 
street,  showing  a  watch  at  this  moment  to  a  gentleman.  Is 
your  uncle  a  linguist,  too,  and  has  he  been  as  well  educated 
as  you  seem  to  be  yourself?" 

"  Certain — he  moch  more  of  a  shentleman  dan  ast  de 
shentleman  to  whom  he  now  sell  vatch." 

"  These  must  be  the  very  persons,"  put  in  Mary,  a  little 
eagerly,  "  of  whom  Mr.  Newcome  spoke,  as  the" — the  dear 
girl  did  not  like  to  say  pedlars,  after  what  I  had  told  them 
of  my  origin ;  so  she  added — "  dealers  in  watches  and 
trinkets,  who  intended  to  visit  our  part  of  the  country." 

"  You  are  right,  my  dear,  and  the  whole  matter  is  now 
clear.  Mr.  Newcome  said  he  expected  them  to  join  us  at 
Troy,  when  we  should  proceed  in  the  train  together  as  far 
as  Saratoga.  But  here  comes  Opportunity  herself,  and  her 
brother  cannot  be  far  off." 

At  that  moment,  sure  enongh,  my  old  acquaintance,  Op 
portunity  Newcome,  came  into  the  room,  a  public  parlour, 
with  an  air  of  great  self-satisfaction,  and  a  nonchalance  of 
manner  that  was  not  a  little  more  peculiar  to  herself  than  it 
is  to  most  of  her  caste.  I  trembled  for  my  disguise,  since, 
to  be  quite  frank  on  a  very  delicate  subject,  Opportunity  had 
made  so  very  dead  a  set  at  me — "  setting  a  cap"  is  but  a 
pitiful  phrase  to  express  the  assault  I  had  to  withstand — as 
scarcely  to  leave  a  hope  that  her  feminine  instinct,  increased 
and  stimulated  with  the  wish  to  be  mistress  of  the  Nest 
house,  could  possibly  overlook  the  thousand  and  one  per 
sonal  peculiarities  that  must  still  remain  about  one,  whose 
personal  peculiarities  she  had  made  her  particular  study. 
8 


86 


THE     REDS  KINS 


CHAPTER  VI. 

«•  O,  sic  a  geek  she  gave  her  head, 
And  sic  a  toss  she  gave  her  feather  ; 
Man,  saw  ye  ne'er  a  bonnier  lass 
Before,  among  the  blooming  heather?" 
ALLAN 


"An  !  here  are  some  charming  French  vignettes  /"  crieJ 
Opportunity,  running  up  to  a  table  where  lay  some  inferior 
coloured  engravings,  that  were  intended  to  represent  the 
cardinal  virtues,  under  the  forms  of  tawdry  female  beauties. 
The  workmanship  was  French,  as  were  the  inscriptions. 
Now,  Opportunity  knew  just  enough  French  to  translate 
these  inscriptions,  simple  and  school-girl  as  they  were,  as 
wrong  as  they  could  possibly  be  translated,  under  the  cir 
cumstances. 

"  La  Vertue,"  cried  Opportunity,  in  a  high,  decided  way, 
as  if  to  make  sure  of  an  audience,  "  The  Virtue ;  La  Soli 
tude,"  pronouncing  the  last  word  in  a  desperately  English 
accent,  «  The  Solitude ;  La  Charite,  The  Charity.  It  is 
really  delightful,  Mary,  as  *  Sarah  Soothings'  would  say,  to 
meet  with  these  glimmerings  of  taste  in  this  wilderness  of 
the  world." 

I  wondered  who  the  deuce  <«  Sarah  Soothings"  could  be, 
but  afterwards  learned  this  was  the  nom-de-guerre  of  a 
female  contributor  to  the  magazines,  who,  I  dare  say,  silly 
as  she  might  be,  was  never  silly  enough  to  record  the  sen 
timents  Opportunity  had  just  professed  to  repeat.  As  for 
The  la  Charite,  and  The  la  Vertue,  they  did  not  in  the 
least  surprise  me ;  for  Martha,  the  hussy,  often  made  her- 
self  merry  by  recording  that  young  lady's  tours  deforce  in 
French.  On  one  occasion  I  remember  she  wrote  me,  that 
when  Opportunity  wished  to  say  On  est  venu  me  chercher, 
instead  of  saying  « I  am  come  for,"  in  homely  English, 
which  would  have  been  the  best  of  all,  she  had  flown  off  in 
the  high  flight  of  "  Je  suis  venue  pour." 

Mary  smiled,  for  she  comprehended  perfectly  the  differ- 


THE     REDSKINS.  87 

ence  between  la  Solitude  and  the  Solitude;  but  she  said 
nothing.  I  must  acknowledge  that  I  was  so  indiscreet  as  to 
smile  also,  though,  Opportunity's  back  being  turned  towards 
us,  these  mutual  signs  of  intelligence  that  escaped  us  both 
through  the  eyes,  opened  a  species  of  communication  that, 
to  me  at  least,  was  infinitely  agreeable. 

Opportunity,  having  shpwn  the  owner  of  the  strange 
figure  at  which  she  had  just  glanced  on  entering  the  room, 
that  she  had  studied  French,  now  turned  to  take  a  better 
look  at  him.  I  have  reason  to  think  my  appearance  did  not 
make  a  very  happy  impression  on  her  ;  for  she  tossed  her 
head,  drew  a  chair,  seated  herself  in  the  manner  most  op 
posed  to  the  descent  of  down,  and  opened  her  budget  of  news, 
without  the  least  regard  to  my  presence,  and  apparently 
with  as  little  attention  to  the  wishes  and  tastes  of  her  com 
panions.  Her  accent,  and  jumping,  hitching  mode  of  speak 
ing,  with  the  high  key  in  which  she  uttered  her  sentiments, 
too,  all  grated  on  my  ears,  which  had  become  a  little  accus 
tomed  to  different  habits,  in  young  ladies  in  particular,  in 
the  other  hemisphere.  ^  confess  myself  to  be  one  of  those 
who  regard  an  even,  quiet,  graceful  mode  of  utterance,  as 
even  a  ^greater  charm  in  a  woman  than  beauty.  Its  effect 
is  more  lasting,  and  seems  to  be  directly  connected  with  the 
character.  Mary  Warren  not  only  pronounced  like  one 
accustomed  to  good  society ;  but  the  modulations  of  her 
voice,  which  was  singularly  sweet  by  nature,  were  even  and 
agreeable,  as  is  usual  with  well-bred  women,  and  as  far  as 
possible  from  the  jerking,  fluttering,  now  rapid,  now  drawl 
ing  manner  of  Opportunity.  Perhaps,  in  this  age  of"  loose 
attire,"  loose  habits,  and  free  and  easy  deportment,  the 
speech  denotes  the  gentleman,  or  the  lady,  more  accurately 
than  any  other  off-hand  test. 

"  Sen  is  enough  to  wear  out  anybody's  patience !"  ex 
claimed  Opportunity.  "We  must  quit  Troy  in  half  an 
hour ;  and  I  have  visits  that  I  ought  to  pay  to  Miss  Jones, 
and  Miss  White,  and  Miss  Black,  and  Miss  Green,  and  Miss 
Brown,  and  three  or  four  others ;  and  I  can't  get  him  to 
come  near  me." 

"  Why  not  go  alone?"  asked  Mary,  quietly.  "  It  is  but 
a  step  to  two  or  three  of  the  houses,  and  you  cannot  possi 
bly  lose  your  way.  I  will  go  with  you,  if  you  desire  it." 


88  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Oh !  lose  my  way  ?  no,  indeed  !  I  know  it  too  well  for 
that.  I  wasn't  educated  in  Troy,  not  to  know  something  of 
the  streets.  But  it  looks  so,  to  see  a  young  lady  walking 
in  the  streets  without  a  beau !  I  never  wish  to  cross  a  room 
in  company  without  a  beau ;  much  less  to  cross  a  street. 
No ;  if  Sen  don't  come  in  soon,  I  shall  miss  seeing  every 
one  of  my  friends,  and  that  will  be  a  desperate  disappoint 
ment  to  us  all ;  but  it  can't  be  helped :  walk  without  a  beau 
I  will  not,  if  I  never  see  one  of  them  again." 

"  Will  you  accept  of  me,  Miss  Opportunity  ?"  asked  Mr. 
Warren.  « It  will  afford  me  pleasure  to  be  of  service  to 
you." 

"  Lord  !  Mr.  Warren,  you  don't  think  of  setting  up  for  a 
beau  at  your  time  of  life,  do  you  ?  Everybody  would  see 
that  you  're  a  clergyman,  and  I  might  just  as  well  go  alone. 
No,  if  Sen  don't  come  in  at  once,  I  must  lose  my  visits ; 
and  the  young  ladies  will  be  so  put  out  about  it,  I  know ! 
Araminta  Maria  wrote  me,  in  the  most  particular  manner, 
never  to  go  through  Troy  without-stopping  to  see  her,  if  I 
didn't  see  another  mortal ;  and  Kmhenrae  Clotilda  has  as 
much  as  said  she  would  never  forgive  me  if  I  passed  her 
door.  But  .Seneca  cares  no  more  for  the  friendships  of 
young  ladies,  than  he  does" — Miss  Newcome  pronounced 
this  word  "  doos,"  notwithstanding  her  education,  as  she  did 
"  been,"  "  ben,"  and  fifty  others  just  as  much  out  of  the 
common  way — "  But  Seneca  cares  no  more  for  the  friend 
ships  of  young  ladies,  than  he  does  for  the  young  patroon. 
I  declare,  Mr.  Warren,  I  believe  Sen  will  go  crazy  unless 
the  anti-renters  soon  get  the  best  of  it ;  he  does  nothing  but 
think  and  talk  of  « rents,'  and  «  aristocracy,'  and  '  poodle 
usages,'  from  morning  till  night." 

We  all  smiled  at  the  little  mistake  of  Miss  Opportunity, 
but  it  was  of  no  great  consequence ;  and  I  dare  say  she 
knew  what  she  meant  as  well  as  most  others  who  use  the 
same  term,  though  they  spell  it  more  accurately.  "  Poodle 
usages"  are  quite  as  applicable  to  anything  now  existing  in 
America,  as  "  feudal  usages." 

"  Your  brother  is  then  occupied  with  a  matter  of  the  last 
importance  to  the  community  of  which  he  is  a  member," 
answered  the  clergyman,  gravely.  "  On  the  termination  of 
this  anti-rent  question  hangs,  in  my  judgment  a  vast  amount 


THfi    REDSKINS.  O» 

of  the  future  character,  and  much  of  the  future  destiny,  of 
New  York." 

"  I  wonder,  now  !  I  'm  surprised  to  hear  you  say  this 
Mr.  Warren,  for  generally  you  're  thought  to  be  unfriendly 
to  the  movement.  Sen  says,  however,  that  everything  looks 
well,  and  that  he  believes  the  tenants  will  get  their  lands 
throughout  the  State  before  they  've  done  with  it.  He  tells 
me  we  shall  have  Injins  enough  this  summer  at  Ravensnest. 
The  visit  of  old  Mrs.  Littlepage  has  raised  a  spirit  that  will 
not  easily  be  put  down,  he  says." 

"And  why  should  the  visit  of  Mrs.  Littlepage  to  the  house 
of  her  grandson,  and  to  the  house  built  by  her  own  hus 
band,  and  in  which  she  passed  the  happiest  days  of  her  life, 
*  raise  a  spirit,'  as  you  call  it,  in  any  one  in  that  part  of  the 
country  ?" 

"  Oh  !  you  're  episcopal,  Mr.  Warren ;  and  we  all  know 
how  the  Episcopals  feel  about  such  matters.  But,  for  my 
part,  I  don't  think  the  Littlepages  are  a  bit  better  than  the 
Newcomes,  though  I  won't  liken  them  to  some  I  could  name 
at  Ravensnest ;  but  I  don't  think  they  are  any  better  than 
you,  yourself;  and  why  should  they  ask  so  much  more  of 
the  law  than  other  folks  ?" 

"  I  am  not  aware  that  they  do  ask  more  of  the  law  than 
others ;  and,  if  they  do,  I  'm  sure  they  obtain  less.  The 
law  in  this  country  is  virtually  administered  by  jurors,  who 
take  good  care  to  graduate  justice,  so  far  as  they  can,  by  a 
scale  suited  to  their  own  opinions,  and,  quite  often,  to  their 
prejudices.  As  the  last  are  so  universally  opposed  to  per 
sons  in  Mrs.  Littlepage's  class  in  life,  if  there  be  a  chance 
to  make  her  suffer,  it  is  pretty  certain  it  will  be  improved." 

"  Sen  says  he  can't  see  why  he  should  pay  rent  to  a 
Littlepage,  any  more  than  a  Littlepage  should  pay  rent  to 
him." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it,  since  there  is  a  very  sufficient 
reason  for  the  former,  and  no  reason  at  all  for  the  latter. 
Your  brother  uses  the  land  of  Mr.  Littlepage,  and  that  is  a 
reason  why  he  should  pay  him  rent.  If  the  case  were 
reversed,  then,  indeed,  Mr.  Littlepage  should  pay  rent  to 
your  brother." 

"  But  what  reason  is  there  that  these  Littlepages  should 
go  on  from  father  to  son,  from  generation  to  generation,  as 
8* 


90'  THE     REDSKINS. 

our  landlords,  when  we're  just  as  good  as  they.  It's  time 
there  was  some  change.  Besides,  only  think,  we've  been 
at  the  mills,  now,  hard  upon  eighty  years,  grandpa  having 
first  settled  there  ;  and  we  have  had  them  very  mills,  now, 
for  three  generations  among  us." 

"  High  time,  therefore,  Opportunity,  that  there  should  bo 
some  change,"  put  in  Mary,  with  a  demure  smile. 

"  Oh  !  you  're  so  intimate  with  Marthy  Littlepage,  I  'm 
not  surprised  at  anything  you  think  or  say.  But  reason  is 
reason,  for  all  that.  I  haven't  the  least  grudge  in  the  world 
against  young  Hugh  Littlepage ;  if  foreign  landsfc  haven't 
spoilt  him,  as  they  say  they  're  desperate  apt  to  do,  he 's  an 
agreeable  young  gentleman,  and  I  can't  say  that  he  used  to 
think  himself  any  better  than  other  folks." 

"  I  should  say  none  of  the  family  are  justly  liable  to  the 
charge  of  so  doing,"  returned  Mary. 

"  Well,  I  'm  amazed  to  hear  you  say  that,  Mary  Warren. 
To  my  taste,  Marthy  Littlepage  is  as  disagreeable  as  she 
can  be.  If  the  anti-rent  cause  had  nobody  better  than  she 
is  to  oppose  it,  it  would  soon  triumph." 

"  May  I  ask,  Miss  Newcome,  what  particular  reason  you 
have  for  so  thinking1?"  asked  Mr. Warren,  who  had  kept  his 
eye  on  the  young  lady  the  whole  time  she  had  been  thus 
running  on,  with  an  interest  that  struck  me  as  somewhat 
exaggerated,  when  one  remembered  the  character  of  the 
speaker,  and  the  value  of  her  remarks. 

"  I  think  so,  Mr.  Warren,  because  everybody  says  so," 
was  the  answer.  "  If  Marthy  Littlepage  don't  think  herself 
better  than  other  folks,  why  don't  she  act  like  other  folks. 
Nothing  is  good  enough  for  her  in  her  own  conceit." 

Poor  little  Patt,  who  was  the  very  beau  ideal  of  nature 
and  simplicity,  as  nature  and  simplicity  manifest  themselves 
under  the  influence  of  refinement  and  good-breeding,  was 
here  accused  of  fancying  herself  better  than  this  ambitious 
young  lady,  for  no  other  reason  than  the  fact  of  the  little 
distinctive  peculiarities  of  her  air  and  deportment,  which 
Opportunity  had  found  utterly  unattainable,  after  one  or  two 
efforts  to  compass  them.  In  this  very  fact  is  the  secret, 
of  a  thousand  of  the  absurdities  and  vices  that  are  going  up 
and  down  the  land  at  this  moment,  like  raging  lions,  seeking 
whom  they  may  devour.  Men  often  turn  to  their  statute- 


THE     REDSKINS.  91 

books  and  constitution  to  find  the  sources  of  obvious  evils, 
that,  m  truth,  have  their  origin  in  some  of  the  lowest  pas 
sions  of  human  nature.  The  entrance  of  Seneca  at  that 
moment,  however,  gave  a  new  turn  to  the  discourse,  though 
it  continued  substantially  the  same.  I  remarked  that  Seneca 
entered  with  his  hat  on,  and  that  he  kept  his  head  covered 
during  most  of  the  interview  that  succeeded,  notwithstand 
ing  the  presence  of  the  two  young  ladies  and  the  divine. 
As  for  myself,  I  had  been  so  free  as  to  remove  my  Ccip, 
though  many  might  suppose  it  was  giving  myself  airs,  while 
others  would  have  imagined  it  was  manifesting  a  degree  of 
respect  to  human  beings  that  was  altogether  unworthy  of 
freemen.  It  is  getting  to  be  a  thing  so  particular  and  aris 
tocratic  to  take  off  the  hat  on  entering  a  house,  that  few  of 
the  humbler  democrats  of  America  now  ever  think  of  it ! 

As  a  matter  of  course,  Opportunity  upbraided  her  delin 
quent  brother  for  not  appearing  sooner  to  act  as  her  beau  ; 
after  which,  she  permitted  him  to  say  a  word  for  himself. 
That  Seneca  was  in  high  good-humour,  was  easily  enough 
to  be  seen  ;  he  even  rubbed  his  hands  together  in  the  excess 
of  his  delight. 

"  Something  has  happened  to  please  Sen,"  cried  the  sis 
ter,  her  own  mouth  on  a  broad  grin,  in  her  expectation  of 
coming  in  for  a  share  of  the  gratification.  "I  wish  you 
would  get  him  to  tell  us  what  it  is,  Mary ;  he  '11^  tell  you 
anything." 

I  cannot  describe  how  harshly  this  remark  grated  on  my 
nerves.  The  thought  that  Mary  Warren  could  consent  to 
exercise  even  the  most  distant  influence  over  such  a  man  as 
Seneca  Newcome,  was  to  the  last  degree  unpleasant  to  me , 
and  I  could  have  wished  that  she  would  openly  and  indig 
nantly  repel  the  notion.  But  Mary  Warren  treated  the 
whole  matter  very  much  as  a  person  who  was  accustomed 
to  such  remarks  would  be  apt  to  do.  I  cannot  say  that  she 
manifested  either  pleasure  or  displeasure ;  but  a  cold  indif 
ference  was,  if  anything,  uppermost  in  her  manner.  Pos 
sibly,  I  should  have  been  content  with  this ;  but  I  found  it 
very  difficult  to  be  so.  Seneca,  however,  did  not  wait  for 
Miss  Warren  to  exert  her  influence  to  induce  him  to  talk, 
but  appeared  well  enough  disposed  to  do  it  of  his  own 
accord. 


92  THE    REDSKINS. 

"  Something  has  happened  to  please  me,  I  must  own,"  he 
answered;  "  and  I  would  as  lief  Mr.- Warren  should  know 
what  it  is,  as  not.  Things  go  ahead  finely  among  us  anti- 
renters,  and  we  shall  carry  all  our  p'ints  before  long !" 

"  I  wish  I  were  certain  no  points  would  be  carried  but 
those  that  ought  to  be  carried,  Mr.  Newcome,"  was  the 
answer.  "  But  what  has  happened,  lately,  to  give  a  new 
aspect  to  the  affair  ?" 

"  We  're  gaining  strength  among  the  politicians.  Both 
sides  are  beginning  to  court  us,  and  the  '  spirit  of  the  insti 
tutions'  will  shortly  make  themselves  respected." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  hear  that !  It  is  in  the  intention  of 
the  institutions  to  repress  covetousness,  and  uncharitable- 
ness,  and  all  frauds,  and  to  do  nothing  but  what  is  right," 
observed  Mr.  Warren. 

"Ah  !  here  comes  my  friend  the  travelling  jeweller,"  said 
Seneca,  interrupting  the  clergyman,  in  order  to  salute  my 
uncle,  who  at  that  instant  showed  himself  in  the  door  of  the 
room,  cap  in  hand.  "  Walk  in,  Mr.  Dafidson,  since  that  is 
your  name :  Rev.  Mr.  Warren — Miss  Mary  Warren — Miss 
Opportunity  Newcome,  my  sister,  who  will  be  glad  to  look 
at  your  wares.  The  cars  will  be  detained  on  some  special 
business,  and' we  have  plenty  of  time  before  us." 

All  this  was  done  with  a  coolness  and  indifference  of 
manner,  which  went  to  show  that  Seneca  had  no  scruples 
whatever  on  the  subject  of  whom  he  introduced  to  any  one. 
As  for  my  uncle,  accustomed  to  these  free  and  easy  man 
ners,  and  probably  not  absolutely  conscious  of  the  figure  he 
cut  in  his  disguise,  he  bowed  rather  too  much  like  a  gentle 
man  for  one  of  his  present  calling,  though  my  previous 
explanation  of  our  own  connexion  and  fallen  fortunes  had 
luckily  prepared  the  way  for  this  deportment. 

"  Come  in,  Mr.  Dafidson,  and  open  your  box — my  sister 
may  fancy  some  of  your  trinkets  ;  I  never  knew  a  girl  that 
didn't." 

The  imaginary  pedlar  entered,  and  placed  his  box  on  a 
table  near  which  I  was  standing,  the  whole  party  imme 
diately  gathering  around  it.  My  presence  had  attracted  no 
particular  attention  from  either  Seneca  or  his  sister,  the 
room  being  public,  and  my  connexion  with  the  vender  of 
trinkets  kaowa.  In  the  mean  time,  Seneca  was  too  full  of 


THE    REDSKINS  93 

his  good  news  to  let  the  subject  drop ;  while  the  watches, 
rings,  chains,  brooches,  bracelets,  &c.  &c.,  were  passed 
under  examination. 

"  Yes,  Mr.  Warren,  I  trust  we  are  about  to  have  a  com 
plete  development  of  the  spirit  of  our  institutions,  and  that 
in  futur'  there  will  be  no  privileged  classes  in  New  York,  at 
least." 

"  The  last  will  certainly  be  a  great  gain,  sir,"  the  divine 
coldly  answered.  "  Hitherto,  those  who  have  most  sup 
pressed  the  truth,  and  who  have  most  contributed  to  the  cir 
culation  of  flattering  falsehoods,  have  had  undue  advantages 
in  America." 

Seneca,  obviously  enough,  did  not  like  this  sentiment; 
but  I  thought,  by  his  manner,  that  he  was  somewhat  accus 
tomed  to  meeting  with  such  rebuffs  from  Mr.  Warren. 

"  I  suppose  you  will  admit  there  are  privileged  classes 
now  among  us,  Mr.  Warren  V 

"  I  am  ready  enough  to  allow  that,  sir ;  it  is  too  plain  to 
be  denied." 

"  Wa-all,  I  should  like  to  hear  you  p'int  'em  out ;  that  I 
might  see  if  we  agree  in  our  sentiments." 

"  Demagogues  are  a  highly  privileged  class.  The  editors 
of  newspapers  are  another  highly  privileged  class ;  doing 
things,  daily  and  hourly,  which  set  all  law  and  justice  at 
defiance,  and  invading,  with  perfect  impunity,  the  most  pre 
cious  rights  of  their  fellow-citizens.  The  power  of  both  is 
enormous ;  and,  as  in  all  cases  of  great  and  irresponsible 
power,  both  enormously  abuse  it." 

"  Wa-all,  that 's  not  my  way  of  thinking  at  all.  In  my 
judgment,  the  privileged  classes  in  this  country  are  your 
patroons  and  your  landlords  ;  men  that 's  not  satisfied  with 
a  reasonable  quantity  of  land,  but  who  wish  to  hold  more 
than  the  rest  of  their  fellow-creatur's." 

"  I  am  not  aware  of  a  single  privilege  that  any  patroon — 
of  whom,  by  the  way,  there  no  longer  exists  one,  except  in 
name — or  any  landlord,  possesses  over  any  one  of  his  fel- 
low«cilizens." 

"  Do  you  call  it  no  privilege  for  a  man  to  hold  all  the 
land  there  may  happen  to  be  in  a  township  ?  I  call  that  a 
great  privilege ;  and  such  as  no  man  should  have  in  a  free 
country.  Other  people  want  land  as  well  as  your  Van 


94  THE     REDSKINS. 

Renssalaers  and  Littlepages ;  and  other  people  mean  to 
have  it,  too." 

"  On  that  principle,  every  man  who  owns  more  of  any 
one  thing  than  his  neighbour  is  privileged.  Even  I,  poor 
as  I  am,  and  am  believed  to  be,  am  privileged  over  you,  Mr. 
Newcome.  I  own  a  cassock,  and  have  two  gowns,  one  old 
and  one  new,  and  various  other  things  of  the  sort,  of  which 
vou  have  not  one.  What  is  more,  I  am  privileged  in  ano 
ther  sense ;  since  I  can  wear  my  cassock  and  gown,  and 
bands,  and  do  wear  them  often ;  whereas  you  cannot  wear 
one  of  them  all  without  making  yourself  laughed  at." 

"  Oh  !  but  them  are  not  privileges  I  care  anything  about  ; 
if  I  did  I  would  put  on  the  things,  as  the  law  does  not  pro- 
hibit  it." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Newcome ;  the  law  does  pro 
hibit  you  from  wearing  my  cassock  and  gown  contrary  to 
my  wishes." 

"  Wa-all,  wa-all,  Mr.  Warren ;  we  never  shall  quarrel 
about  that ;  I  don't  desire  to  wear  your  cassack  and  gown." 

"  I  understand  you,  then ;  it  is  only  the  things  that  you 
desire  to  use  that  you  deem  it  a  privilege  for  the  law  to  leave 
me." 

"  I  am  afraid  we  shall  never  agree,  Mr.  Warren,  about 
this  anti-rent  business;  and  I'm  very  sorry  for  it,  as  I 
wish  particularly  to  think  as  you  do,"  glancing  his  eye 
most  profanely  towards  Mary  as  he  spoke.  "  I  am  for  the 
movement-principle,  while  you  are  too  much  for  the  stand 
still  doctrine." 

"  I  am  certainly  for  remaining  stationary,  Mr.  Newcome, 
if  progress  mean  taking  away  the  property  of  old  and  long 
established  families  in  the  country,  to  give  it  to  those  whose 
names  are  not  to  be  found  in  our  history  ;  or,  indeed,  to  give 
it  to  any  but  those  to  whom  it  rightfully  belongs." 

"We  shall  never  agree,  my  dear  sir,  we  shall  never 
agree ;"  then,  turning  towards  my  uncle  with  the  air  of  su 
periority  that  the  vulgar  so  easily  assume — "  What  do  you 
say  to  all  this,  friend  Dafidson — are  you  up-rent  or  down- 
rent?" 

"  Jn,  mynheer,"  was  the  quiet  answer  ;"  "  I  always  downs 
mit  der  rent  vens  J  leave  a  house  or  a  garten.  It  is  goot  ta 
pay  de  debts ;  ja,  it  ist  herr  goot." 


THE     REDSKINS.  95 

This  answer  caused  the  clergyman  and  his  daughter  to 
Bmile,  while  Opportunity  laughed  outright. 

"  You  won't  make  much  of  your  Dutch  friend,  Sen," 
cried  this  buoyant  young  lady ;  "  he  says  you  ought  to 
keep  on  paying  rent !" 

"  I  apprehend  Mr.  Dafidson  does  not  exactly  understand 
the  case,"  answered  Seneca,  who  was  a  good  deal  discon 
certed,  but  was  bent  on  maintaining  his  point.  "  I  have 
understood  you  to  say  that  you  are  a  man  of  liberal  princi 
ples,  Mr.  Dafidson,  and  that  you  've  come  to  America  to 
enjoy  the  light  of  intelligence  and  the  benefits  of  a  free  go 
vernment." 

"  Ja ;  ven  I  might  coome  to  America,  I  say,  veil,  dat  'tis 
a  goot  coontry,  vhere  an  honest  man  might  haf  vhat  he 
'arns,  ant  keep  it,  too.  Ja,  ja !  dat  ist  vhat  I  say,  ant  vhat 
I  dinks." 

"  I  understand  you,  sir ;  you  come  from  a  part  of  the 
world  where  the  nobles  eat  up  the  fat  of  the  land,  taking 
the  poor  man's  share  as  well  as  his  own,  to  live  in  a  coun 
try  where  the  law  is,  or  soon  will  be,  so  equal  that  no  citi 
zen  will  dare  to  talk  about  his  estates,  and  hurt  the  feelin's 
of  such  as  haven't  got  any." 

My  uncle  so  well  affected  an  innocent  perplexity  at  the 
drift  of  this  remark  as  to  make  me  smile,  in  spite  of  an  effort 
to  conceal  it.  Mary  Warren  saw  that  smile,  and  another 
glance  of  intelligence  was  exchanged  between  us ;  though 
the  young  lady  immediately  withdrew  her  look,  a  little  con 
sciously  and  with  a  slight  blush. 

"  I  say  that  you  like  equal  laws  and  equal  privileges, 
friend  Dafidson,"  continued  Seneca,  with  emphasis  ;  "  and 
that  you  have  seen  too  much  of  the  evils  of  nobility  and  of 
feudal  oppression  in  the  old  world,  to  wish  to  fall  in  with 
them  in  the  new." 

"  Der  noples  ant  der  feudal  privileges  ist  no  goot,"  an 
swered  the  trinket-pedlar,  shaking  his  head  with  an  appear 
ance  of  great  distaste. 

"  Ay,  I  knew  it  would  be  so ;  you  see,  Mr.  Warren,  no 
man  who  has  ever  lived  under  a  feudal  system  can  ever  feel 
otherwise." 

"  But  what  have  we  to  do  with  feudal  systems,  Mr.  New- 
come?  and  what  is  there  in  common  between  the  landlords 


96  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  New  York  and  the  nobles  of  Europe,  and  between  their 
leases  and  feudal  tenures  ?" 

"  What  is  there  ?  A  vast  deal  too  much,  sir,  take  my 
word  for  it.  Do  not  our  very  governors,  even  while  ruth- 
lessly  calling  on  one  citizen  to  murder  another " 

"  Nay,  nay,  Mr.  Newcome,"  interrupted  Mary  Warren, 
laughing,  "  the  governors  call  on  the  citizens  not  to  murder 
each  other." 

"  I  understand  you,  Miss  Mary ;  but  we  shall  make  anti- 
renters  of  you  both  before  we  are  done.  Surely,  sir,  there 
is  a  great  deal  too  much  resemblance  between  the  nobles  of 
Europe  and  our  landlords,  when  the  honest  and  free-born 
tenants  of  the  last  are  obliged  to  pay  tribute  for  permission 
to  live  on  the  very  land  that  they  till,  and  which  they  cause 
to  bring  forth  its  increase." 

"  But  men  who  are  not  noble  let  their  lands  in  Europe  ; 
nay,  the  very  serfs,  as  they  become  free  and  obtain  riches, 
buy  lands  and  let  them,  in  some  parts  of  the  old  world,  as  I 
have  heard  and  read." 

"  All  feudal,  sir.  The  whole  system  is  pernicious  and 
feudal,  serf  or  no  serf." 

"  But,  Mr.  Newcome,"  said  Mary  Warren,  quietly,  though 
with  a  sort  of  demure  irony  in  her  manner  that  said  she  was 
not  without  humour,  and  understood  herself  very  well,  "  even 
you  let  your  land — land  that  you  lease,  too,  and  which  you 
do  not  own,  except  as  you  hire  it  from  Mr.  Littlepage." 

Seneca  gave  a  hem,  and  was  evidently  disconcerted ;  but 
he  had  too  much  of  the  game  of  the  true  progressive  move 
ment — which  merely  means  to  lead  in  changes,  though  they 
may  lead  to  the  devil — to  give  the  matter  up.  Repeating 
the  hem,  more  to  clear  his  brain  than  to  clear  his  throat,  he 
hit  upon  his  answer,  and  brought  it  out  with  something  very 
like  triumph. 

"  That  is  one  of  the  evils  of  the  present  system,  Miss 
Mary.  Did  I  own  the  two  or  three  fields  you  mean,  and  to 
attend  to  which  I  have  no  leisure,  I  might  sell  them ;  but 
now  it  is  impossible,  since  I  can  give  no  deed.  The  instant 
my  poor  uncle  dies — and  he  can't  survive  a  week,  being,  as 
you  must  know,  nearly  gone — the  whole  property,  mills. 
tavern,  farms,  timber-lot  and  all,  fall  in  to  young  Hugh  Lit- 
tlopage,  who  is  off  frolicking  in  Europe,  doing  no  good  to 


THE     REDSKINS.  97 

himself  or  others,  I  '11  venture  to  say,  if  the  truth  were 
known.  That  is  another  of  the  hardships  of  the  feudal  sys 
tem  ;  it  enables  one  man  to  travel  in  idleness,  wasting  his 
substance  in  foreign  lands,  while  it  keeps  another  at  home, 
at  the  plough-handles  and  the  cart-tail." 

"  And  why  do  you  suppose  Mr.  Hugh  Littlepage  wastes 
nis  substance,  and  is  doing  himself  and  country  no  good  in 
foreign  lands,  Mr.  Newcome  ?  That  is  not  at  all  the  cha 
racter  I  hear  of  him,  nor  is  it  the  result  that  I  expect  to  see 
from  his  travels," 

"  The  money  he  spends  in  Europe  might  do  a  vast  deal 
of  good  at  Ravensnest,  sir." 

"  For  my  part,  my  dear  sir,"  put  in  Mary  again,  in  her 
quiet  but  pungent  way,  "  I  think  it  remarkable  that  neither 
of  our  late  governors  has  seen  fit  to  enumerate  the  facts  just 
mentioned  by  Mr.  Newcome  among  those  that  are  opposed 
to  the  spirit  of  the  institutions.  It  is,  indeed,  a  great  hard 
ship  that  Mr.  Seneca  Newcome  cannot  sell  Mr.  Hugh  Lit 
tlepage's  land." 

"  I  complain  less  of  that,"  cried  Seneca,  a  little  hastily 
"  than  of  the  circumstance  that  all  my  rights  in  the  property 
must  go  with  the  death  of  my  uncle.     That,  at  least,  even 
you,  Miss  Mary,  must  admit  is  a  great  hardship." 

"  If  your  uncle  were  unexpectedly  to  revive,  and  livs 
twenty  years,  Mr.  Newcome " 

"No,  no,  Miss  Mary,"  answered  Seneca,  shaking  his 
head  in  a  melancholy  manner ;  "  that  is  absolutely  impos 
sible.  It  would  not  surprise  me  to  find  him  dead  and  buried 
on  our  return." 

"  But,  admit  that  you  may  be  mistaken,  and  that  your 
lease  should  continue — you  would  still  have  a  rent  to  pay?" 

"  Of  that  I  wouldn't  complain  in  the  least.  If  Mr.  Dun 
ning,  Littlepage's  agent,  will  just  promise,  in  as  much  as 
half  a  sentence,  that  we  can  get  a  new  lease  on  the  old 
terms,  I  'd  not  say  a  syllable  about  it." 

"  Well,  here  is  one  proof  that  the  system  has  its  advan 
tages  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Warren,  cheerfully.  "  I  'm  delighted 
to  hear  you  say  this ;  for  it  is  something  to  have  a  class  of 
men  among  us  whose  simple  promises,  in  a  matter  of  mo 
ney,  have  so  much  value !  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  their  ex 
ample  will  not  be  lost." 
9 


98  THB     REDSKINS. 

"  Mr.  Newcome  has  made  an  admission  I  am  also  glad  to 
hear,"  added  Mary,  as  soon  as  her  father  had  done  speak 
ing.  "  His  willingness  to  accept  a  new  lease  on  the  old 
terms  is  a  proof  that  he  has  been  living  under  a  good  bar 
gain  for  himself  hitherto,  and  that  down  to  the  present  mo 
ment  he  has  been  the  obliged  party." 

This  was  very  simply  said,  but  it  bothered  Seneca  ama 
zingly.  As  for  myself,  I  was  delighted  with  it,  and  could 
have  kissed  the  pretty,  arch  creature  who  had  just  uttered 
the  remark ;  though  I  will  own  that  as  much  might  have 
been  done  without  any  great  reluctance,  had  she  even  held 
her  tongue.  As  for  Seneca,  he  did  what  most  men  are  apt 
to  do  when  they  have  the  consciousness  of  not  appearing 
particularly  well  in  a  given  point  of  view;  he  endeavoured 
to  present  himself  to  the  eyes  of  his  companions  in  an 
other. 

"  There  is  one  thing,  Mr.  Warren,  that  I  think  you  will 
admit  ought  not  to  be,"  he  cried,  exultingly,  "  whatever  Miss 
Mary  thinks  about  it ;  and  that  is,  that  the  Littlepage  pew  in 
your  church  ought  to  come  down." 

"  I  will  not  say  that  much,  Mr.  Newcome,  though  I  rather 
think  my  daughter  will.  I  believe,  rny  dear,  you  are  of 
Mr.  Newcome's  way  of  thinking  in  respect  to  this  canopied 
pew,  and  also  in  respect  to  the  old  hatchments'?" 

"  I  wish  neither  was  in  the  church,"  answered  Mary,  in 
a  low  voice. 

From  that  moment  I  was  fully  resolved  neither  should  be, 
as  soon  as  I  got  into  a  situation  to  control  the  matter. 

"  In  that  I  agree  with  you  entirely,  my  child,"  resumed 
the  clergyman  ;  "  and  were  it  not  for  this  movement  con 
nected  with  the  rents,  and  the  false  principles  that  have  been 
so  boldly  announced  of  late  years,  I  might  have  taken  on 
myself  the  authority,  as  rector,  to  remove  the  hatchments. 
Even  according  to  the  laws  connected  with  the  use  of  such 
things,  they  should  have  been  taken  away  a  generation  or 
two  back.  As  to  the  pew,  it  is  a  different  matter.  It  is 
private  property ;  was  constructed  with  the  church,  which 
was  built  itself  by  the  joint  liberality  of  the  Littlepages  and 
•nether  Trinity ;  and  it  would  be  a  most  ungracious  act  to 
mdertake  to  destroy  it  under  such  circumstances,  and  more 
especially  in  the  absence  of  its  owner." 


THE     REDSKINS.  99 

"You  agree,  however,  that  it  ought  not  to  be  there?" 
asked  Seneca,  with  exultation. 

"  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  it  were  not.  I  dislike  every 
thing  like  worldly  distinction  in  the  house  of  God ;  and  he 
raldic  emblems,  in  particular,  seem  to  me  very  much  out  of 
place  where  the  cross  is  seen  to  be  in  its  proper  place." 

"  Wa-all,  now,  Mr.  Warren,  I  can't  say  I  much  fancy 
crosses  about  churches  either.  What 's  the  use  in  raising 
vain  distinctions  of  any  sort.  A  church  is  but  a  house,  after 
all,  and  ought  so  to  be  regarded." 

"  True,"  said  Mary,  firmly  ;  »  but  the  house  of  God." 

"  Yes,  yes,  we  all  know,  Miss  Mary,  that  you  Episcopa 
lians  look  more  at  outward  things,  and  more  respect  out 
ward  things,  than  most  of  the  other  denominations  of  the 
country." 

"  Do  you  call  leases  '  outward  things,'  Mr.  Newcome  ?" 
asked  Mary,  archly;  "and  contracts,  and  bargains,  and 
promises,  and  the  rights  of  property,  and  the  obligation  to 
'  do  as  you  would  be  done  by  ?'  " 

"  Law !  good  folks,"  cried  Opportunity,  who  had  been 
all  this  time  tumbling  over  the  trinkets,  "  I  wish  it  was 
*  down  with  the  rent'  for  ever,  with  all  my  heart ;  and  that 
not  another  word  might  ever  be  said  on  the  subject.  Here 
is  one  of  the  prettiest  pencils,  Mary,  I  ever  did  see ;  and  its 
price  is  only  four  dollars.  I  wish,  Sen,  you'd  let  the  rent 
alone,  and  make  me  a  present  of  this  very  pencil." 

As  this  was  an  act  of  which  Seneca  had  not  the  least  in 
tention  of  being  guilty,  he  merely  shifted  his  hat  from  one 
side  of  his  head  to  the  other,  began  to  whistle,  and  then  he 
coolly  left  the  room.  My  uncle  Ro  profited  by  the  occa 
sion  to  beg  Miss  Opportunity  would  do  him  the  honour  to 
accept  the  pencil  as  an  offering  from  himself. 

"  You  an't  surely  in  earnest !"  exclaimed  Opportunity 
flushing  up  with  surprise  and  pleasure.  "  Why,  you  tola 
me  the  price  was  four  dollars ;  and  even  that  seems  to  me 
desperate  little  !" 

"  Dat  1st  de  price  to  anudder,"  said  the  gallant  trinket- 
dealer;  "  but  dat  ist  not  de  price  to  you,  Miss  Opportunity. 
Ve  shall  trafel  togedder ;  ant  vhen  ve  gets  to  your  coontry 
you  vill  dell  me  de  best  houses  vhere  I  might  go  mit  my 
vatches  ant  drinkets." 


100  THE     REDSKINS. 

{k  That  I  wil! ;  and  get  you  in  at  the  Nest  Hojse,  in  ihe 
bargain,"  cried  Opportunity,  pocketing  the  pencil  without 
further  parley. 

In  the  mean  time  my  uncle  selected  a  very  neat  seal,  the 
handsomest  he  had,  being  of  pure  metal,  and  having  a  real 
topaz  in  it,  and  offered  it  to  Mary  Warren,  with  his  best 
bow.  I  watched  the  clergyman's  daughter  with  anxiety, 
as  I  witnessed  the  progress  of  this  galanterie,  doubting  and 
hoping  at  each  change  of  the  ingenuous  and  beautiful  coun 
tenance  of  her  to  whom  the  offering  was  made.  Mary  co 
loured,  smiled,  seemed  embarrassed,  and,  as  I  feared,  for  a 
single  moment  doubting ;  but  I  must  have  been  mistaken, 
as  she  drew  back,  and,  in  the  sweetest  manner  possible, 
declined  to  accept  the  present.  I  saw  that  Opportunity's 
having  just  adopted  a  different  course  added  very  much  to 
her  embarrassment,  as  otherwise  she  might  have  said  some 
thing  to  lessen  the  seeming  ungraciousness  of  the  refusal. 
Luckily  for  herself,  however,  she  had  a  gentleman  to  deal 
with,  instead  of  one  in  the  station  that  my  uncle  Ro  had  vo 
luntarily  assumed.  When  this  offering  was  made,  the  pre 
tended  pedlar  was  ignorant  altogether  of  the  true  characters 
of  the  clergyman  and  his  daughter,  not  even  knowing  that 
he  saw  the  rector  of  St.  Andrew's,  Ravensnest.  But  the 
manner  of  Mary  at  once  disabused  him  of  an  error  into 
which  he  had  fallen  through  her  association  with  Opportu 
nity,  and  he  now  drew  back  himself  with  perfect  tact,  bow 
ing  and  apologizing  in  a  way  that  I  thought  must  certainly 
betray  his  disguise.  It  did  not,  however ;  for  Mr.  Warren, 
with  a  smile  that  denoted  equally  satisfaction  at  his  daugh 
ter's  conduct,  and  a  grateful  sense  of  the  other's  intended 
liberality,  but  with  a  simplicity  that  was  of  proof,  turned  to 
me  and  begged  a  tune  on  the  flute  which  I  had  drawn  from 
my  pocket  and  was  holding  in  my  hand,  as  expecting  some 
such  invitation. 

If  I  have  any  accomplishment,  it  is  connected  with  music; 
and  particularly  with  the  management  of  the  flute.  On  this 
occasion  I  was  not  at  all  backward  about  showing  off,  and 
I  executed  two  or  three  airs,  from  the  best  masters,  with  as 
much  care  as  if  I  had  been  playing  to  a  salon  in  one  of  the 
best  quarters  of  Paris.  I  could  see  that  Mary  and  her  father 
were  both  surprised  at  the  execution,  and  that  the  first  was 


THE     REDSKINS.  101 

delighted.  We  had  a  most  agreeable  quarter  of  an  hour 
together ;  and  might  have  had  two,  had  not  Opportunity — 
who  was  certainly  well  named,  being  apropos  of  every- 
Ihing — began  of  her  own  accord  to  sing,  though  not  with 
out  inviting  Mary  to  join  her.  As  the  latter  declined  this 
public  exhibition,  as  well  as  my  uncle  Ro's  offering,  Sene 
ca's  sister  had  it  all  to  herself;  and  she  sang  no  less  than 
three  songs,  in  quick  succession,  and  altogether  unasked.  I 
shall  not  stop  to  characterize  the  music  or  the  words  of 
theH  songs,  any  further  than  to  say  they  were  all,  more  or 
less,  of  the  Jim  Crow  school,  and  executed  in  a  way  that 
did  them  ample  justice. 

As  it  was  understood  that  we  were  all  to  travel  .in  the 
same  train,  the  interview  lasted  until  we  were  ready  to  pro 
ceed  ;  nor  did  it  absolutely  terminate  then.  As  Mary  and 
Opportunity  sat  together,  Mr.  Warren  asked  me  to  share 
his  seat,  regardless  of  the  hurdy-gurdy ;  though  my  attire, 
in  addition  to  its  being  perfectly  new  and  neat,  was  by  no 
means  of  the  mean  character  that  it  is  usual  to  see  adorning 
street-music  in  general.  On  the  whole,  so  long  as  the  in 
strument  was  not  en  evidence,  I  might  not  have  seemed 
very  much  out  of  place  seated  at  Mr.  Warren's  side.  In 
this  manner  we  proceeded  to  Saratoga,  my.  uncle  keeping 
up  a  private  discourse  the  whole  way  with  Seneca,  on  mat 
ters  connected  with  the  rent  movement. 

As  for  the  divine  and  myself,  we  had  also  much  interest 
ing  talk  together.  I  was  questioned  about  Europe  in  gene 
ral,  and  Germany  in  particular ;  and  had  reason  to  think 
my  answers  gave  surprise  as  well  as  satisfaction.  It  was 
not  an  easy  matter  to  preserve  the  Doric  of  my  assumed 
dialect,  though  practice  and  fear  contributed  their  share  to 
render  me  content  to  resort  to  it.  I  made  many  mistakes, 
of  course,  but  my  listeners  were  not  the  persons  to  discover 
them.  I  say  my  listeners,  for  I  soon  ascertained  that  Mary 
Warren,  who  sat  on  the  seat  directly  before  us,  was  a  pro 
foundly  attentive  listener  to  all  that  passed.  This  circum 
stance  did  not  render  me  the  less  communicative,  though  it 
did  increase  the  desire  I  felt  to  render  what  I  said  worthy 
of  such  a  listener.  As  for  Opportunity, 'she  read  a  news 
paper  a  little  while,  munched  an  apple  a  very  little  while, 
9* 


102  THE    REDSKINS. 

and  slept  the  rest  of  the  way.  But  the  journey  between 
modern  Troy  and  Saratoga  is  not  a  long  one,  and  was  soon 
accomplished. 


CHAPTER  VII.  * 

"I  will  tell  you  ; 

If  you'  11  bestow  a  small  (of  what  you  have  little), 
Patience,  a  while,  you  '11  hear  the  belly's  answer." 

MEICEHIUS  AQHIFPA. 

AT  the  springs  we  parted,  Mr.  Warren  and  his  friends 
finding  a  conveyance,  with  their  own  horses,  in  readiness  to 
carry  them  the  remainder  of  the  distance.  As  for  my  uncle 
and  myself,  it  was  understood  that  we  were  to  get  on  in  the 
best  manner  we  could,  it  being  .expected  that  we  should 
reach  Ravensnest  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two.  Accord 
ing  to  the  theory  of  our  new  business,  we  ought  to  travel  on 
foot,  but  we  had  a  reservation  in  petto  that  promised  us  also 
the  relief  of  a  comfortable  wagon  of  some  sort  or  other. 

"  Well,"  said  my  uncle,  the  moment  we  had  got  far 
enough  from  our  new  acquaintances  to  be  out  of  ear-shot, 
"I  must  say  one  thing  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Seneky,  as  he  calls 
himself,  or  Sen,  as  his  elegant  sister  calls  him,  and  that  is, 
that  I  believe  him  to  be  one  of  the  biggest  scoundrels  the 
state  holds." 

"  This  is  not  drawing  his  character  en  beau"  I  answered, 
laughing.  "  But  why  do  you  come  out  so  decidedly  upon 
him  at  this  particular  moment?" 

"  Because  this  particular  moment  happens  to  be  the  first 
in  which  I  have  had  an  opportunity  to  say  anything  since 
I  have  known  the  rascal.  You  must  have  remarked  that 
the  fellow  held  me  in  discourse  from  the  time  we  left  Troy 
until  we  stopped  here." 

"  Certainly  ;  I  could  see  that  his  tongue  was  in  motion 
unceasingly :  what  he  said,  I  have  to  conjecture." 


THE     REDSKINS. 

<*  He  said  enough  to  lay  bare  his  whole  character.  Our 
subject  was  anti-rent,  which  he  commenced  with  a  view  to 
explain  it  to  a  foreigner ;  but  I  managed  to  lead  him  on, 
step  by  step,  until  he  let  me  into  all  his  notions  and  expecta 
tions  on  the  subject.  Why,  Hugh,  the  villain  actually  pro- 
posed  that  you  and  I  should  enlist,  and  turn  ourselves  into 
two  of  the  rascally  mock  redskins." 

"  Enlist !  Do  they  still  persevere  so  far  as  to  keep  up 
that  organization,  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  late  law? 

"  The  law !  What  do  two  or  three  thousand  voters  care 
for  any  penal  law,  in  a  country  like  this?  Who  is  to  en 
force  the  law  against  them?  Did  they  commit  murder,  and 
were  they  even  convicted,  as  might  happen  under  the  excite 
ment  of  such  a  crime,  they  very  well  know  nobody  would 
be  hanged.  Honesty  is  always  too  passive  in  matters  that 
do  not  immediately  press  on  its  direct  interests.  It  is  for 
the  interest  of  every  honest  man  in  the  State  to  set  his  face 
against  this  anti-rent  movement,  and  to  do  all  he  can,  by 
his  vote  and  influence,  to  put  it  down  into  the  dirt,  out  of 
which  it  sprang,  and  into  which  it  should  be  crushed  ;  but 
not  one  in  a  hundred,  even  of  those  who  condemn  it  totu 
ccelo,  will  go  a  foot  out  of  their  way  even  to  impede  its  pro 
gress.  All  depends  on  those  who  have  the  power  ;  and  they 
will  exert  that  power  so  as  to  conciliate  the  active  rogue, 
rather  than  protect  the  honest  man.  You  are  to  remember 
that  the  laws  are  executed  here  on  the  principle  that  *  what 
is  everybody's  business  is  nobody's  business.' " 

"  You  surely  do  not  believe  that  the  authorities  will  wink 
at  an  open  violation  of  the  laws!" 

"  That  will  depend  on  the  characters  of  individuals  ;  most 
will,  but  some  will  not.  You  and  I  would  be  punished  soon 
enough,  were  there  a  chance,  but  the  mass  would  escape. 
Oh !  we  have  had  some  precious  disclosures  in  our  corner 
of  the  car  1  The  two  or  three  men  who  joined  Newcome  are 
from  anti-rent  districts,  and  seeing  me  with  their  friend,  little 
reserve  has  been  practised.  One  of  those  men  is  an  anti- 
vent  lecturer ;  and,  being  somewhat  didactic,  he  favoured  me 
with  some  of  his  arguments,  seriatim" 

"  How !  Have  they  got  to  lectures  ?  I  should  have  sup 
posed  the  newspapers  would  have  been  the  means  of  circu- 
lat;ng  their  ideas." 


104  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Oh,  the  newspapers,  like  hogs  swimming  too  freely, 
have  cut  their  own  throats ;  and  it  seems  to  be  fashionable, 
just  at  this  moment,  not  to  believe  them.  Lecturing  is  the 
great  moral  lever  of  the  nation  at  present." 

"  But  a  man  can  lie  in  a  lecture,  as  well  as  in  a  news 
paper." 

"  Out  of  all  question ;  and  if  many  of  the  lecturers  are 
of  the  school  of  this  Mr.  Holmes — '  Lecturer  Holmes,'  as 
Seneca  called  him — but,  if  many  are  of  his  school,  a  pretty 
set  of  liberty-takers  with  the  truth  must  they  be." 

"  You  detected  him,  then,  in  some  of  these  liberties?" 

"  In  a  hundred :  nothing  was  easier  than  for  a  man  in 
my  situation  to  do  that;  knowing,  as  I  did,  so  much  of  the 
history  of  the  land-titles  of  the  State.  One  of  his  arguments 
partakes  so  largely  of  the  weak  side  of  our  system,  that  I 
must  give  it  to  you.  He  spoke  of  the  gravity  of  the  dis 
turbances — of  the  importance  to  the  peace  and  character  of 
the  State  of  putting  an  end  to  them ;  and  then,  by  way  of 
corollary  to  his  proposition,  produced  a  scheme  for  chang 
ing  the  titles,  IN  ORDER  TO  SATISFY  THE  PEOPLE  !" 

"  The  people,  of  course,  meaning  the  tenants  ;  the  land* 
lords  and  their  rights  passing  for  nothing." 

"  That  is  one  beautiful  feature  of  the  morality — an  eye, 
or  a  cheek,  if  you  will — but  here  is  the  nose,  and  highly  Ro 
man  it  is.  A  certain  portion  of  the  community  wish  to  get 
rid  of  the  obligations  of  their  contracts ;  and  finding  it  can 
not  be  done  by  law,  they  resort  to  means  that  are  opposed 
to  all  law,  in  order  to  effect  their  purposes.  Public  law 
breakers,  violators  of  the  public  peace,  they  make  use  of 
their  own  wrong  as  an  argument  for  perpetuating  another 
that  can  be  perpetuated  in  no  other  way.  I  have  been  look 
ing  over  some  of  the  papers  containing  proclamations,  &c., 
and  find  that  both  law-makers  and  law-breakers  are  of  one 
mind  as  to  this  charming  policy.  Without  a  single  manly 
effort  to  put  down  the  atrocious  wrong  that  is  meditated,  the 
existence  of  the  wrong  itself  is  made  an  argument  for  meet 
ing  it  with  concessions,  and  thus  sustaining  it.  Instead  of 
using  the  means  the  institutions  have  provided  for  putting 
down  all  such  unjust  and  illegal  combinations,  the  combina 
tions  are  a  sufficient  reason  of  themselves  why  the  laws 
should  be  altered,  and  wrong  be  done  to  a  few,  in  order  that 
many  may  be  propitiated,  and  their  votes  secured." 


THE     REDSKINS.  105 

"This  is  reasoning  that  can  be  used  only  where  real 
grievances  exist.  But  there  are  no  real  grievances  in  the 
case  of  the  tenants.  They  may  mystify  weak  heads  in  the 
instance  of  the  Manor  leases,  with  their  quarter  sales,  fat 
hens,  loads  of  wood  and  days'  works  ;  but  rny  leases  are  all 
on  three  lives,  with  rent  payable  in  money,  and  with  none 
of  the  conditions  that  are  called  feudal,  though  no  more  feu 
dal  than  any  other  bargain  to  pay  articles  in  kind.  One 
might  just  as  well  call  a  bargain  made  by  a  butcher  to  de 
liver  pork  for  a  series  of  years  feudal.  However,  feudal  or 
not,  my  leases,  and  those  of  most  other  landlords,  are  run 
ning  on  lives ;  and  yet,  by  what  I  can  learn,  the  discontent 
is  general ;  and  the  men  who  have  solemnly  bargained  to 
give  up  their.farms  at  the  expiration  of  the  lives  are  just  as 
warm  for  the  '  down-rent'  and  titles  in  fee,  as  the  Manor 
tenants  themselves !  They  say  that  the  obligations  given 
fqr  actual  purchases  are  beginning  to  be  discredited." 

"  You  are  quite  right ;  and  there  is  one  of  the  frauds  prac 
tised  on  the  world  at  large.  In  the  public  documents,  only 
the  Manor  leases,  with  their  pretended  feudal  covenants 
and  their  perpetuity,  are  kept  in  view,  while  the  combina 
tion  goes  to  all  leases,  or  nearly  all,  and  certainly  to  all 
sorts  of  leases,  where  the  estates  are  of  sufficient  extent  to 
allow  of  the  tenants  to  make  head  against  the  landlords.  I 
dare  say  there  are  hundreds  of  tenants,  even  on  the  property 
of  the  Renssalaers,  who  are  honest  enough  to  be  willing  t® 
comply  with  their  contracts  if  the  conspirators  would  let 
them ;  but  the  rapacious  spirit  is  abroad  among  the  occu 
pants  'of  other  lands,  as  well  as  among  the  occupants  of 
theirs,  and  the  government  considers  its  existence  a  proof 
that  concessions  should  be  made.  The  discontented  must 
be  appeased,  right  or  not !" 

"  Did  Seneca  say  anything  on  the  subject  of  his  own  in 
terests  ?" 

"  He  did  ;  not  so  much  in  conversation  with  me,  as  in  the 
discourse  he  held  with  « Lecturer  Holmes.'  I  listened  at 
tentively,  happening  to  be  familiar,  through  tradition  and 
through  personal  knowledge,  with  all  the  leading  facts  of 
the  case.  As  you  will  soon  be  called  on  to  act  in  that  mat 
ter  for  yourself,  I  may  as  well  relate  them  to  you.  They 
will  serve,  also,  as  guides  to  the  moral  merits  of  the  occu 


106  THE     REDSKINS. 

pation  of  half  the  farms  on  your  estate.  These  are  things, 
moreover,  you  would  never  know  by  public  statements, 
since  all  the  good  bargain's  are  smothered  in  silence,  while 
those  that  may  possibly  have  been  a  little  unfavourable  to 
the  tenant  are  proclaimed  far  and  near.  It  is  quite  possible 
that,  among  the  many  thousands  of  leased  farms  that  are  to 
be  found  in  the  State,  some  bad  bargains  may  have  been 
made  by  the  tenants  ;  but  what  sort  of  a  government  is  that 
which  should  undertake  to  redress  evils  of  this  nature?  If 
either  of  the  Renssalaers,  or  you  yourself,  were  to  venture 
to  send  a  memorial  to  the  Legislature  setting  forth  the 
grievances  you  labour  under  in  connection  with  this  very 
*  mill  lot' — and  serious  losses  do  they  bring  to  you,  let  me 
tell  you,  though  grievances,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term, 
they  are  not — you  and  your  memorial  would  be  met  with  a 
general  and  merited  shout  of  ridicule  and  derision.  One 
man  has  no  rights,  as  opposed  to  a  dozen." 

"  So  much  difference  is  there  between  *  de  la  Rochefou 
cauld  et  de  la  Rochefoucauld" 

"  All  the  difference  in  the  world  :  but  let  me  give  you  the 
facts,  for  they  will  serve  as  a  rule  by  which  to  judge  of 
many  others.  In  the  first  place,  my  great-grandfather  Mor« 
daunt,  the  '  patentee,'  as  he  was  called,  first  let  the  mill  lot 
to  the  grandfather  of  this  Seneca,  the  tenant  then  being  quite 
a  young  man.  In  order  to  obtain  settlers,  in  that  early  day, 
it  was  necessary  to  give  them  great  advantages,  for  there 
was  vastly  more  land  than  there  were  people  to  work  it. 
The  first  lease,  therefore,  was  granted  on  highly  advanta 
geous  terms  to  that  Jason  Newcome,  whom  I  can  just  re 
member.  He  had  two  characters ;  the  one,  and  the  true, 
which  set  him  down  as  a  covetous,  envious,  narrow-minded 
provincial,  who  was  full  of  cant  and  roguery.  Some  tradi 
tions  exist  among  us  of  his  having  been  detected  in  stealing 
timber,  and  in  various  other  frauds.  In  public  he  is  one  of 
those  virtuous  and  hard-working  pioneers  who  have  trans 
mitted  to  their  descendants  all  their  claims,  those  that  are 
supposed  to  be  moral,  as  well  as  those  that  are  known  to  be 
legal.  This  flummery  may  do  for  elderly  ladies,  who  affect 
snuff  and  bohea,  and  for  some  men  who  have  minds  of  the 
same  calibre,  but  they  are  not  circumstances  to  influence 
such  legislators  and  executives  as  are  fit  to  be  legislators 


THE     REDSKINS.  107 

and  executives.  Not  a  great  while  before  my  father's  mar- 
riage,  the  said  Jason  still  living  and  in  possession,  the  lease 
expired,  and  a  new  one  was  granted  for  three  lives,  or 
twenty-one  years  certain,  of  which  one  of  the  lives  is  still 
running.  That  lease  was  granted,  on  terms  highly  favoura 
ble  to  the  tenant,  sixty  years  since,  old  Newcome,  luckily 
for  himself  and  his  posterity,  having  named  this  long-lived 
son  as  one  of  his  three  lives.  Now  Seneky,  God  bless  him  ! 
is  known  to  lease  a  few  of  the  lots  that  have  fallen  to  his 
share  of  the  property  for  more  money  than  is  required  to 
meet  all  your  rent  on  the  whole.  Such,  in  effect,  has  been 
the  fact  with  that  mill-lot  for  the  last  thirty  years,  or  even 
longer;  and  the  circumstance  of  the  great  length  of  time  so 
excellent  a  bargain  has  existed,  is  used  as  an  argument  why 
the  Newcomes  ought  to  have  a  deed  of  the  property  for  a 
nominal  price ;  or,  indeed,  for  no  price  at  all,  if  the  tenants 
could  have  their  wishes." 

"  I  am  afraid  there  is  nothing  unnatural  in  thus  pervert 
ing  principles ;  half  mankind  appear  to  me  really  to  get  a 
great  many  of  their  notions  dessus  dessous" 

11  Half  is  a  small  proportion ;  as  you  will  find,  my  boy, 
when  you  grow  older.  But  was  it  not  an  impudent  pro 
posal  of  Seneca,  when  he  wished  you  and  me  to  join  the 
corps  of '  Injins  ¥  " 

"  What  answer  did  you  make  ?  Though  I  suppose  it  would 
hardly  do  for  us  to  go  disguised  and  armed,  now  that  the 
law  makes  it  a  felony,  even  while  our  motive,  at  the  bottom, 
might  be  to  aid  the  law." 

"  Catch  me  at  that  act  of  folly  !  Why,  Hugh,  could  they 
prove  such  a  crime  on  either  of  ws,  or  any  one  connected 
with  an  old  landed  family,  we  should  be  the  certain  victims. 
No  governor  would  dare  pardon  us.  No,  no  ;  clemency  is 
a  word  reserved  for  the  obvious  and  confirmed  rogues." 

"  We  might  get  a  little  favour  on  the  score  of  belonging 
to  a  very  powerful  body  of  offenders." 

"  True ;  I  forgot  tha«t  circumstance.  The  more  nume 
rous  the  crimes  and  the  criminals,  the  greater  the  proba 
bility  of  impunity ;  and  this,  too,  not  on  the  general  principle 
that  power  cannot  be  resisted,  but  on  the  particular  prin 
ciple  that  a  thousand  or  two  votes  are  of  vast  importance, 


108  THE     REDSKINS 

»vhere  three  thousand  can  turn  an  election.  God  only  knows 
where  this  thing  is  to  end  !" 

We  now  approached  one  of  the  humbler  taverns  of  the 
place,  where  it  was  necessary  for  those  of  our  apparent  pre 
tensions  to  seek  lodgings,  and  the  discourse  was  dropped. 
It  was  several  weeks  too  early  in  the  season  for  the  Springs 
to  be  frequented,  and  we  found  only  a  few  of  those  in  the 
place  who  drank  the  waters  because  they  really  required 
them.  My  uncle  had  been  an  old  stager  at  Saratoga — a 
beau  of  the  "  purest  water,"  as  he  laughingly  described  him 
self — and  he  was  enabled  to  explain  all  that  it  was  neces 
sary  for  me  to  know.  An  American  watering-place,  how 
ever,  is  so  very  much  inferior  to  most  of  those  in  Europe, 
as  to  furnish  very  little,  in  their  best  moments,  beyond  the 
human  beings  they  contain,  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
traveller. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  we  availed  ourselves  of  the 
opportunity  of  a  return  vehicle  to  go  as  far  as  Sandy  Hill, 
where  we  passed  the  night.  The  next  morning,  bright  and 
early,  we  got  into  a  hired  wagon  and  drove  across  the  coun 
try  until  near  night,,  when  we  paid  for  our  passage,  sent  the 
vehicle  back,  and  sought  a  tavern.  At  this  house,  where 
we  passed  the  night,  we  heard  a  good  deal  of  the  "  Injins"  hav 
ing  made  their  appearance  on  the  Litttepage  lands,  and  many 
conjectures  as  to  the  probable  result.  We  were  in  a  town 
ship,  or  rather  on  a  property  that  was  called  Mooseridge, 
and  which  had  once  belonged  to  us,  but  which,  having  been 
sold,  and  in  a  great  measure  paid  for  by  the  occupants,  no 
one  thought  of  impairing  the  force  of  the  covenants  under 
which  the  parties  held.  The  most  trivial  observer  will  soon 
discover  that  it  is  only  when  something  is  to  be  gained  that 
the  aggrieved  citizen  wishes  to  disturb  a  covenant.  Now, 
I  never  heard  any  one  say  a  syllable  against  either  of  the 
covenants  of  his  lease  under  which  he  held  his  farm,  let  him 
be  ever  so  loud  against  those  which  would  shortly  compel 
him  to  give  it  up  !  Had  I  complained  of  the  fact — and  such 
facts  abounded — that  my  predecessors  had  incautiously  let 
farms  at  such  low  prices  that  the  lessees  had  been  enabled 
to  pay  the  rents  for  half  a  century  by  subletting  small  por 
tions  of  them,  as  my  uncle  Ro  had  intimated,  I  should  be 


THE     REDSKINS.  109 

pointed  at  as  i  fool.  "  Stick  to  your  bond"  would  have  been 
the  cry,  and  "  Shylock"  would  have  been  forgotten.  I  do 
not  say  that  there  is  not  a  vast  difference  between  the  means 
of  acquiring  intelligence,  the  cultivation,  the  manners,  the 
social  conditions,  and,  in  some  senses,  the  social  obligations 
of  an  affluent  landlord  and  a  really  hard-working,  honest, 
well-intentioned  husbandman,  his  tenant — differences  that 
should  dispose  the  liberal  and  cultivated  gentleman  to  bear 
in  mind  the  advantages  he  has  perhaps  inherited,  and  not 
acquired  by  his  'own  means,  in  such  a  way  as  to  render 
him,  in  a  certain  degree,  the  repository  of  the  interests  of 
those  who  hold  under  him ;  but,  while  I  admit  all  this,  and 
say  that  the  community  which  does  not  possess  such  a  class 
of  men  is  to  be  pitied,  as  it  loses  one  of  the  most  certain 
'  means  of  liberalizing  and  enlarging  its  notions,  and  of  im 
proving  its  civilization,  I  am  far  from  thinking  that  the  men 
of  this  class  are  to  have  their  real  superiority  of  position, 
with  its  consequences,  thrown  into  their  faces  only  when 
they  are  expected  to  give,  while  they  are  grudgingly  denied 
it  on  all  other  occasions  !  There  is  nothing  so  likely  to  ad 
vance  the  habits,  opinions,  and  true  interests  of  a  rural  popu 
lation,  as  to  have  them  all  directed  by  the  intelligence  and 
combined  interests  that  ought  to  mark  the  connection  be 
tween  landlord  and  tenant.  It  may  do  for  one  class  of  po 
litical  economists  to  prate  about  a  state  of  things  which  sup 
poses  every  husbandman  a  freeholder,  and  rich  enough  to 
maintain  his  level  among  the  other  freeholders  of  the  St^te. 
But  we  all  know  that  as  many  minute  gradations  in  means 
must  and  do  exist  in  a  community,  as  there  exists  grada 
tions  in  characters.  A  majority  soon  will,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  be  below  the  level  of  the  freeholder,  and  by  destroy 
ing  the  system  of  having  landlords  and  tenants,  two  great 
evils  are  created — the  one  preventing  men  of  large  fortunes 
from  investing  in  lands,  as  no  man  will  place  his  money 
where  it  will  be  insecure  or  profitless,  thereby  cutting  off 
real  estate  generally  from  the  benefits  that  might  be  and 
would  be  conferred  by  their  capital,  as  well  as  cutting  it  off 
from  the  benefits  of  the  increased  price  which  arise  from 
having  such  buyers  in  the  market ;  and  the  other  is,  to  pre 
vent  any  man  from  being  a  husbandman  who  has  not  the 
money  necessary  to  purchase  a  farm.  But  they  who  want 
10 


110  THE     REDSKINS. 

farms  nmv,  and  they  who  will  want  votes  next  November 
do  not  look  quite  so  far  ahead  as  that,  while  shouting  "  equal 
rights, '  they  are,  in  fact,  for  preventing  the  poor  husband- 
man  from  being  anything  but  a  day-labourer. 

W«  obtained  tolerably  decent  lodgings  at  our  inn,  though 
the  profoundest  patriot  America  possesses,  if  he  know  any 
thing  of  other  countries,  or  of  the  best  materials  of  his  own, 
cannot  say  much  in  favour  of  the  sleeping  arrangements  of 
an  ordinary  country  inn.  The  same  money  and  the  same 
trouble  would  render  that  which  is  now  the  very  beau  ideal 
of  discomfort,  at  least  tolerable,  and  in  many  instances  good. 
But  who  is  to  produce  this  reform  ?  According  to  the  opi 
nions  circulated  among  us,  the  humblest  hamlet  we  have  has 
already  attained  the  highest  point  of  civilization  ;  and  as  for 
the  people,  without  distinction  of  classes,  it  is  universally 
admitted  that  they  are  the  best  educated,  the  acutest,  and  the 
most  intelligent  in  Christendom ; — no,  I  must  correct  myself; 
they  are  all  this,  except  when  they  are  in  the  act  of  leasing 
lands,  and  then  the  innocent  and  illiterate  husbandmen  are 
the  victims  of  the  arts  of  designing  landlords,  the  wretches  !* 

*  Mr.  Hugh  Littlepage  writes  a  little  sharply,  bat  there  is  truth  in 
all  he  says,  at  the  bottom.  His  tone  is  probably  produced  by  the  fact 
that  there  is  so  serious  an  attempt  to  deprive  him  of  his  old  paternal 
estate,  an  attempt  which  is  receiving  support  in  high  quarters.  In 
addition  to  this  provocation,  the  Littlepages,  as  the  manuscript  shows 
farther  on,  are  traduced,  as  one  means  of  effecting  the  objects  of  the 
anti-renters ;  no  man,  in  any  community  in  which  it  is  necessary  to 
work  on  public  sentiment  in  order  to  accomplish  such  a  purpose,  ever 
being  wronged  without  being  calumniated.  As  respects  the  inns,  truth 
compels  me,  as  an  old  traveller,  to  say  that  Mr.  Littlepage  has  much 
reason  for  what  he  says.  I  have  met  with  a  better  bed  in  the  lowest 
French  tavern  I  ever  was  compelled  to  use,  and  in  one  instance  I  slept 
in  an  inn  frequented  by  carters,  than  in  the  best  purely  country  inn  in 
America.  In  the  way  of  neatness,  however,  more  is  usually  to  be 
found  in  our  New  York  village  taverns  than  in  the  public  hotels  of 
Paris  itself.  As  for  the  hit  touching  the  intelligence  of  the  people,  it 
is  merited ;  for  I  have  myself  heard  subtle  distinctions  drawn  to  show 
that  the  "  people"  of  a  former  generation  were  not  as  knowing  as  the 
"  people"  of  this,  and  imputing  the  covenants  of  the  older  leases  to 
that  circumstance,  instead  of  imputing  them  to  their  true  cause,  the 
opinions  arid  practices  of  the  times.  Half  a  century's  experience  would 
induce  me  to  say  that  the  "  people"  were  never  particularly  dull  in 
making  a  bargain.  —  EDITOR. 


THE     REDSKINS.  .  Ill 

We  passed  an  hour  on  the  piazza,  after  eating  our  sup 
per,  and  there  being  a  collection  of  men  assembled  there, 
inhabitants  of  the  hamlet,  we  had  an  opportunity  to  get  into 
communication  with  them.  My  uncle  sold  a  watch,  and  I 
played  on  the  hurdy-gurdy,  by  way  of  making  myself  popu 
lar.  After  this  beginning,  the  discourse  turned  on  the  en 
grossing  subject  of  the  day,  anti-rentism.  The  principal 
speaker  was  a  young  man  of  about  six-and-twenty,  of  a 
sort  of  shabby  genteel  air  and  appearance,  whom  I  soon 
discovered  to  be  the  attorney -of  the  neighbourhood.  His 
name  was  Hubbard,  while  that  of  the  other  principal  speaker 
was  Hall.  The  last  was  a  mechanic,  as  I  ascertained,  and 
was  a  plain-looking  working-man  of  middle  age.  Each  of 
these  persons  seated  himself  on  a  common  "  kitchen  chair," 
leaning  back  against  the  side  of  the  house,  and,  of  course, 
resting  on  the  two  hind  legs  of  the  rickety  support,  while 
he  placed  his  own  feet  on  the  rounds  in  front.  The  alti 
tudes  were  neither  graceful  nor  picturesque,  but  they  were 
so  entirely  common  as  to  excite  no  surprise.  As  for  Hall, 
he  appeared  perfectly  contented  with  his  situation,  after 
fidgeting  a  little  to  get  the  two  supporting  legs  of  his  chair 
just  where  he  wanted  them  ;  but  Hubbard's  eye  was  restless, 
uneasy,  and  even  menacing,  for  more  than  a  minute.  He 
drew  a  knife  from  his  pocket — a  small,  neat  pen-knife  only,  it 
is  true— gazed  a  little  wildly  about  him,  and  just  as  I  thought 
he  intended  to  abandon  his  nicely  poised  chair,  and  to  make 
an  assault  on  one  of  the  pillars  that  upheld  the  roof  of  the 
piazza,  the  innkeeper  advanced,  holding  in  his  hand  several 
narrow  slips  of  pine  board,  one  of  which  he  offered  at  once 
to  'Squire  Hubbard.  This  relieved  the  attorney,  who  took 
the  wood,  and  was  soon  deeply  plunged  in,  to  me,  the  un 
known  delights  of  whittling.  I  cannot  explain  the  myste 
rious  pleasure  that  so  many  find  in  whittling,  though  the 
prevalence  of  the  custom  is  so  well  known.  But  I  cannot 
explain  the  pleasure  so  many  find  in  chewing  tobacco,  or  in 
smoking.  The  precaution  of  the  landlord  was  far  from 
being  unnecessary,  and  appeared  to  be  taken  in  good  part 
by  all  to  whom  he  offered  "  whittling-pieces,"  some  six  or 
eight  in  the  whole.  The  state  of  the  piazza,  indeed,  proved 
that  the  precaution  was  absolutely  indispensable,  if  he  did 
not  wish  to  see  the  house  come  tumbling  down  about  his 


112  THE     REDSKINS. 

head.  In  order  that  those  who  have  never  seen  such  things 
may  understand  their  use,  I  will  go  a  little  out  of  the  way 
to  explain. 

The  inn  was  of  wood,  a  hemlock  frame  with  a  "  siding" 
of  clap-boards.  In  this  there  was  nothing  remarkable,  many 
countries  of  Europe,  even,  still  building  principally  of  wood. 
Houses  of  lath  and  plaster  were  quite  common,  until  within 
a  few  years,  even  in  large  towns.  I  remember  to  have  seen 
some  of  these  constructions,  while  in  London,  in  close  con 
nection  with  the  justly  celebrated  Westminster  Hall ;  and  of 
such  materials  is  the  much-talked-of  miniature  castle  of 
Horace  Wai  pole,  at  Strawberry  Hill.  But  the  inn  of  Moose- 
ridge  had  some  pretensions  to  architecture,  besides  being 
three  or  four  times  larger  than  any  other  house  in  the  place. 
A  piazza  it  enjoyed,  of  course ;  it  must  be  a  pitiful  village 
inn  that  does  not :  and  building,  accessaries  and  all,  rejoiced 
in  several  coats  of  a  spurious  white  lead.  The  columns  of 
this  piazza,  as  well  as  the  clap-boards  of  the  house  itself, 
however,  exhibited  the  proofs  of  the  danger  of  abandoning 
your  true  whittler  to  his  own  instincts.  Spread-eagles,  five- 
points,  American  flags,  huzzahs  for  Polk !  the  initials  of 
names,  and  names  at  full  length,  with  various  other  similar 
conceits,  records,  and  ebullitions  of  patriotic  or  party-otic 
feelings,  were  scattered  up  and  down  with  an  affluence  that 
said  volumes  in  favour  of  the  mint  in  which  they  had  been 
coined.  But  the  most  remarkable  memorial  of  the  industry 
of  the  guests  was  to  be  found  on  one  of  the  columns ;  and 
it  was  one  at  a  corner,  too,  and  consequently  of  double  im 
portance  to  the  superstructure — unless,  indeed,  the  house 
were  built  on  that  well-known  principle  of  American  archi 
tecture  of  the  last  century,  which  made  the  architrave  up- 
hotd  the  pillar,  instead  of  the  pillar  the  architrave.  The 
column  in  question  was  of  white  pine,  as  usual — though  lat 
terly,  in  brick  edifices,  bricks  and  stucco  are  much  resorted 
to — and,  at  a  convenient  height  for  the  whittlers,  it  was  lite- 
raily  cut  two-thirds  in  two.  The  gash  was  very  neatly 
maae — that  much  must  be  said  for  it — indicating  skill  and 
attention ;  and  the  surfaces  of  the  wound  were  smoothed  in 
a  manner  to  prove  that  appearances  were  not  neglected. 

"Vat  do  das?"  I  asked  of  the  landlord,  pointing  to  this 
gaping  wound  in  the  main  column  of  his  piazza. 


TYlE     REDSKINS.  113 

"  That !  Oh  !  That 's  only  the  whittlers,"  answered  the 
host,  with  a  good-natural  smile. 

Assuredly  the  Americans  are  the  best-natured  people  on 
earth  !  Here  was  a  man  whose  house  was  nearly  tumbling 
down  about  his  ears — always  bating  the  principle  in  archi 
tecture  just  named — and  he  could  smile  as  Nero  may  be 
supposed  to  have  done  when  fiddling  over  the  conflagration 
of  Rome. 

"  But  vhy  might  de  vhittler  vhittle  down  your  house  ?" 

"  Oh !  this  is  a  free  country,  you  know,  and  folks  do 
pretty  much  as  they  like  in  it,"  returned  the  still  smiling 
host.  "  I  let  'em  cut  away  as  long  as  I  dared,  but  it  was 
high  time  to  get  out  '  whittling-pieces'  I  believe  you  must 
own.  It's  best  always  to  keep  a  ruff  (roof)  over  a  man's 
head,  to  be  ready  for  bad  weather.  A  week  longer  would 
have  had  the  column  in  two." 

"  Veil,  I  dinks  I  might  not  bear  dat !  Vhat  ist  mein  house 
ist  mein  house,  ant  dey  shall  not  so  moch  vittles." 

"  By  letting  'em  so  much  vittles  there,  they  so  much  vit 
tles  in  the  kitchen ;  so  you  see  there  is  policy  in  having 
your  under-pinnin'  knocked  away  sometimes,  if  it 's  done 
by  the  right  sort  of  folks." 

"You're  a  stranger  in  these  parts,  friend?"  observed 
Hubbard,  complacently,  for  by  this  time  his  "  whittling- 
piece"  was  reduced  to  a  shape,  and  he  could  go  on  reducing 
it,  according  to  some  law  of  the  art  of  whittling,  with  which 
I  am  not  acquainted.  "  We  are  not  so  particular  in  such 
matters  as  in  some  of  your  countries  in  the  old  world." 

"  Ja — das  I  can  see.  But  does  not  woot  ant  column  cost 
money  in  America,  someding  ?" 

"  To  be  sure  it  does.  There  is  not  a  man  in  the  country 
who  would  undertake  to  replace  that  pillar  with  a  new  one, 
paint  and  all,  for  less  than  ten  dollars." 

This  was  an  opening  for  a  discussion  on  the  probable  cost 
of  putting  a  new  pillar  into  the  place  of  the  one  that  was  in 
jured.  Opinions  differed,  and  quite  a  dozen  spoke  on  the 
subject;  some  placing  the  expense  as  high  as  fifteen  dollars, 
and  others  bringing  it  down  as  low  as  five.  I  was  struck 
with  the  quiet  and  self-possession  with  which  each  man  de- 
•  livered  his  opinion,  as  well  as  with  the  language  used.  The 
accent  was  uniformly  provincial,  that  of  Hubbard  included, 


114  THE     REDSKINS. 

having  a  strong  and  unpleasant  taint  of  the  dialect  of  Nevf 
England  in  it ;  and  some  of  the  expressions  savoured  a  little 
of  the  stilts  of  the  newspapers ;  but,  on  the  whole,  the  lan 
guage  was  sufficiently  accurate  and  surprisingly  good,  con 
sidering  the  class  in  life  of  the  speakers.  The  conjectures, 
too,  manifested  great  shrewdness  and  familiarity  with  prac 
tical  things,  as  well  as,  in  a  few  instances,  some  reading. 
Hall,  however,  actually  surprised  me.  He  spoke  with  a 
precision  and  knowledge  of  mechanics  that  would  have  done 
credit  to  a  scholar,  and  with  a  simplicity  that  added  to  the 
influence  of  what  he  said.  Some  casual  remark  induced  mo 
to  put  in — "  Veil,  I  might  s'pose  an  Injin  voult  cut  so  das 
column,  but  I  might  not  s'pose  a  vhite  man  could."  This 
opinion  gave  the  discourse  a  direction  towards  anti-rentism, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  it  caught  all  the  attention  of  my  uncle 
Ro  and  myself. 

"  This  business  is  going  ahead  after  all !"  observed  Hub- 
bard,  evasively,  after  others  had  had  their  say. 

"  More 's  the  pity,"  put  in  Hall.  "  It  might  have  been 
put  an  end  to  in  a  month,  at  any  time,  and  ought  to  be  put 
an  end  to  in  a  civilized  land." 

"  You  will  own,  neighbour  Hall,  notwithstanding,  it  would 
be  a  great  improvement  in  the  condition  of  the  tenants  all 
over  the  State,  could  they  change  their  tenures  into  free 
holds." 

"  No  doubt  't  would ;  and  so  it  would  be  a  great  improve 
ment  in  the  condition  of  any  journeyman  in  my  shop  if  ho 
could  get  to  be  the  boss.  But  that  is  not  the  question  here, 
the  question  is,  what  right  has  the  State  to  say  any  man 
shall  sell  his  property  unless  he  wishes  to  sell  it?  A  pretty 
sort  of  liberty  we  should  have  if  we  all  held  our  houses  and 
gardens  under  such  laws  as  that  supposes  !" 

"  But  do  we  not  all  hold  our  houses  and  gardens,  and 
farms,  too,  by  some  such  law?"  rejoined  the  attorney,  who 
evidently  respected  his  antagonist,  and  advanced  his  own 
opinions  cautiously.  "  If  the  public  wants  land  to  use,  it 
can  take  it  by  paying  for  it." 

"*  Yes,  to  use;  but  use  is  everything.  I  've  read  that  old 
report  of  the  committee  of  the  House,  and  don't  subscribe  to 
its  doctrines  at  all.  Public  '  policy,'  in  that  sense,  doesn't 
at  all  mean  public  <  use.'  If  land  is  wanted  for  a  road,  or  a 


THE     REDSKINS.  115 

fort,  or  a  canal,  it  must  be  taken,  under  a  law,  by  appraise 
ment,  or  the  thing  could  not  be  had  at  all ;  but  to  pretend, 
because  one  side  to  a  contract  wishes  to  alter  it,  that  the  State 
has  a  right  to  interfere,  on  the  ground  that  the  discontented 
can  be  bought  off  in  this  way  easier  and  cheaper  than  they 
can  be  made  to  obey  the  laws,  is  but  a  poor  way  of  support 
ing  the  right.  The  same  principle,  carried  out,  might  prove 
it  would  be  easier  to  buy  off  pickpockets  by  compromising 
than  to  punish  them.  Or  it  would  be  easy  to. get  round  all 
sorts  of  contracts  in  this  way." 

"  But  all  governments  use  this  power  when  it  becomes 
necessary,  neighbour  Hall." 

"  That  word  necessary  covers  a  great  deal  of  ground, 
'Squire  Hubbard.  The  most  that  can  be  made  of  the  ne 
cessity  here  is  to  say  it  is  cheaper,  and  may  help  along  par 
ties  to  their  objects  better.  No  man  doubts  that  the  State 
of  New  York  can  put  down  these  anti-renters ;  and,  I  trust, 
will  put  them  down,  so  far  as  force  is  concerned.  There  is, 
then,  no  other  necessity  in  the  case,  to  begin  with,  than  the 
necessity  which  demagogues  always  feel,  of  getting  as  many 
votes  as  they  can." 

"  After  all,  neighbour  Hall,  these  votes  are  pretty  power 
ful  weapons  in  a  popular  government." 

"  I  '11  not  deny  that ;  and  now  they  talk  of  a  convention 
to  alter  the  constitution,  it  is  a  favourable  moment  to  teach 
such  managers  they  shall  not  abuse  the  right  of  suffrage  in 
this  way." 

"  How  is  it  to  be  prevented  ?  You  are  an  universal  suf- 
*rage  man,  I  know  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  'm  for  universal  suffrage  among  honest  folks ; 
but  do  not  wish  to  have  my  rulers  chosen  by  them  that  are 
never  satisfied  without  having  their  hands  in  their  neigh 
bours'  pockets.  Let  'em  put  a  clause  into  the  constitution 
providing  that  no  town,  or  village,  or  county  shall  hold  a 
poll  within  a  given  time  after  the  execution  of  process  has 
been  openly  resisted  in  it.  That  would  take  the  conceit  out 
of  all  such  law-breakers,  in  very  short  order." 

It  was  plain  that  this  idea  struck  the  listeners,  and  several 
even  avowed  their  approbation  of  the  scheme  aloud.  Hub- 
bard  received  it  as  a  new  thought,  but  was  more  reluctant 


116  THE     REDSKINS. 

to  admit  its  practicability.  As  might  be  expected  from  a 
lawyer  accustomed  to  practise  in  a  small  way,  his  objections 
savoured  more  of  narrow  views  than  of  the  notions  of  a 
statesman. 

"  How  would  you  determine  the  extent  of  the  district  to 
bo  disfranchised  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Take  the  legal  limits  as  they  stand.  If  process  be  re 
sisted  openly  by  a  combination  strong  enough  to  look  down 
the  agents  of  the  law  in  a  town,  disfranchise  that  town  for 
a  given  period ;  if  in  more  than  one  town,  disfranchise  the 
offending  towns;  if  a  'county,  disfranchise  the  whole 
county." 

"  But,  in  that  way  you  would  punish  the  innocent  with 
the  guilty." 

"  It  would  be  for  the  good  of  all ;  besides,  you  punish  the 
innocent  for  the  guilty,  or  with  the  guilty  rather,  in  a  thou 
sand  ways.  You  and  I  are  taxed  to  keep  drunkards  from 
starving,  because  it  is  better  to  do  that  than  to  offend  hu 
manity  by  seeing  men  die  of  hunger,  or  tempting  them  to 
steal.  When  you  declare  martial  law  you  punish  the  inno 
cent  with  the  guilty,  in  one  sense;  and  so  you  do  in  a  hun 
dred  cases.  All  we  have  to  ask  is,  if  it  be  not  wiser  and 
better  to  disarm  demagogues,  and  those  disturbers  of  the 
public  peace  who  wish  to  pervert  their  right  of  suffrage  to 
so  wicked  an  end,  by  so  simple  a  process,  than  to  suffer 
them  to  effect  their  purposes  by  the  most  flagrant  abuse  of 
their  political  privileges  ?" 

"  How  would  you  determine  when  a  town  should  lose  the 
right  of  voting  ?" 

"  By  evidence  given  in  open  court.  The  judges  would 
be  the  proper  authority  to  decide  in  such  a  case ;  and  they 
would  decide,  beyond  all  question,  nineteen  times  in  twenty, 
right.  It  is  the  interest  of  every  man  who  is  desirous  of 
exercising  the  suffrage  on  right  principles,  to  give  him  some 
such  protection  against  them  that  wish  to  exercise  the  suf 
frage  on  wrong.  A  peace-officer  can  call  on  the  posse 
comitatus  or  on  the  people  to  aid  him ;  if  enough  appear  to 
put  down  the  rebels,  well  and  good ;  but  if  enough  do  not 
appear,  let  it  be  taken  as  proof  that  the  district  is  not  worthy 
of  giving  the  votes  of  freemen.  They  who  abuse  such  a 


THE    REDSKINS.  117 

liberty  as  man  enjoys  in  this  country  are  the  least  entitled 
to  our  sympathies.  As  for  the  mode,  that  could  easily  be 
determined,  as  soon  as  you  settled  the  principle." 

The  discourse  went  on  for  an  hour,  neighbour  Hall  giving 
nis  opinions  still  more  at  large.  I  listened  equally  with 
pleasure  and  surprise.  "  These,  then,  after  all,"  I  said  to 
myself,  "  are  the  real  bone  and  sinew  of  the.  country.  There 
are  tens  of  thousands  of  this  sort  of  men  in  the  State,  and 
why  should  they  be  domineered  over,  and  made  to  submit 
to  a  legislation  and  to  practices  that  are  so  often  without 
principle,  by  the  agents  of  thfc  worst  part  of  the  community  ? 
Will  the  honest  for  ever  be  so  passive,  while  the  corrupt  and 
dishonest  continue  so  active  t"  On  my  mentioning  these 
notions  to  my  uncle,  he  answered : 

"  Yes ;  it  ever  has  been  so,  and,  I  fear,  ever  will  be  so. 
There  is  the  curse  of  this  country,"  pointing  to  a  table  co 
vered  with  newspapers,  the  invariable  companion  of  an  Ame 
rican  inn  of  any  size.  "  So  long  as  men  believe  what  they 
find  there,  they  can  be  nothing  but  dupes  or  knaves." 

"  But  there  is  good  in  newspapers." 

"  That  adds  to  the  curse.  If  they  were  nothing  but  lies, 
the  world  would  soon  reject  them ;  but  how  few  are  able  to 
separate  the  true  from  the  false !  Now,  how  few  of  these 
papers  speak  the  truth  about  this  very  anti  rentism  !  Occa 
sionally  an  honest  man  in  the  corps  does  come  out ;  but 
where  one  does  this,  ten  affect  to  think  what  they  do  not 
believe,  in  order  to  secure  votes  ;  —  votes,  votes,  votes.  In 
that  simple  word  lies  all  the.  mystery  of  the  matter." 

"  Jefferson  said,  if  he  were  to  choose  between  a  govern 
ment  without  newspapers,  or  newspapers  without  a  govern 
ment,  he  would  take  the  last." 

"  Ay,  Jefferson  did  not  mean  newspapers  as  they  are  now. 
I  am  .old  enough  to  see  the  change  that  has  taken  place.  In 
his  day,  three  or  four  fairly  convicted  lies  would  damn  any 
editor ;  now,  there  are  men  that  stand  up  under  a  thousand. 
I  Ml  tell  you  what,  Hugh,  this  country  is  jogging  on  under 
two  of  the  most  antagonist  systems  possible  —  Christianity 
and  the  newspapers.  The  first  is  daily  hammering  into 
every  man  that  he  is  a  miserable,  frail,  good-for-nothing 
being,  while  the  last  is  eternally  proclaiming  the  perfection 
of  the  people  and  the  virtues  of  self-government." 


118  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Perhaps  too  much  stress  ought  not  to  be  laid  on  either." 
"  The  first  is  certainly  true,  under  limitations  that  we  all 
Understand ;  but  as  to  the  last,  I  will  own  I  want  more  evi 
dence  than  a  newspaper  eulogy  to  believe  it." 

After  all,  my  uncle  Ro  is  sometimes  mistaken;  though 
candour  compels  me  to  acknowledge  that  he  is  very  often 
right. 


CHAPTER  VIII.  < 

« I  see  thee  still ; 

Remembrance,  faithful  to  her  trust, 
Calls  thee  in  beauty  from  the  dust ; 
Thou  comest  in  the  morning  light, 
Thou  'rt  with  me  through  the  gloomy  night ; 
In  dreams  I  meet  thee  as  of  old : 
Then  thy  soft  arms  my  neck  enfold, 
And  thy  sweet  voice  is  in  my  ear  : 
In  every  sense  to  memory  dear 

I  see  thee  still." 

SPRAGTTE. 

IT  was  just  ten  in  the  morning  of  the  succeeding  day 
when  my  uncle  Ro  and  myself  came  in  sight  of  the  old 
house  at  the  Nest.  I  call  it  old,  for  a  dwelling  that  has 
stood  more  than  half  a  century  acquires,  a  touch  of  the  vene 
rable,  in  a  country  like  America.  To  me  it  was  truly  old, 
the  building  having  stood  there,  where  I  then  saw  it,  for  a 
period  more  than  twice  as  long  as  that  of  my  own  existence, 
and  was  associated  with  all  my  early  ideas.  From  child 
hood  I  had  regarded  that  place  as  my  future  home,  as  it 
had  been  the  home  of  my  parents  and  grand-parents,  and, 
in  one  sense,  of  those  who  had  gone  before  them  for  two 
generations  more.  The  whole  of  the  land  in  sight — the  rich 
bottoms,  then  waving  with  grass — the  side-hills,  the  woods, 
ihe  distant  mountains — the  orchards,  dwellings,  barns,  and 
all  the  other  accessaries  of  rural  life  that  appertained  to  the 
soil,  were  mine,  and  had  thus  become  without  a  single  act  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  119 

injustice  to  any  human  being,  so  far  as  I  knew  and  believed. 
Even  the  red  man  had  been  fairly  bought  off  by  Herman 
Mordaunt,  the  patentee,  and  so  Susquesus,  the  Redskin  of 
Ravensnest,  as  our  old  Onondago  was  often  called,  had  ever 
admitted  the  fact  to  be.  It  was  natural  that  I  should  love 
an  estate  thus  inherited  and  thus  situated.  No  CIVILIZED 

MAN,  NO  MAN,  INDEED,  SAVAGE  OR  NOT,  HAD  EVER  BEEN 
THE  OWNER  OF  THOSE  BROAD  ACRES,  BUT  THOSE  WHO 

WERE  or  MY  OWN  BLOOD.  This  is  what  few  besides  Ame 
ricans  can  say ;  and  when  it  can  be  said  truly,  in  parts  of 
the  country  where  the  arts  of  life  have  spread,  and  amid  the 
blessings  of  civilization,  it  becomes  the  foundation  of  a  sen 
timent  so  profound,  that  I  do  not  wonder  those  adventurers- 
errant  who  are  flying  about  the  face  of  the  country,  thrust 
ing  their  hands  into  every  man's  mess,  have  not  been  able 
to  find  it  among  their  other  superficial  discoveries.  Nothing 
can  be  less  like  the  ordinary  cravings  of  avarice  than  the 
feeling  that  is  thus  engendered ;  and  I  am  certain  that  the 
general  tendency  of  such  an  influence  is  to  elevate  the  feel 
ings  of  him  who  experiences  it. 

And  there  were  men  among  us,  high  in  political  station — 
high  as  such  men  ever  can  get,  for  the  consequence  of 
having  such  men  in  power  is  to  draw  down  station  itself 
nearer  to  their  own  natural  level — but  men  in  power  had 
actually  laid  down  propositions  in  political  economy  which, 
if  carried  out,  would  cause  me  to  sell  all  that  estate, -reserv 
ing,  perhaps,  a  single  farm  for  my  own  use,  and  reinvest 
the  money  in  such  a  way  as  that  the  interest  I  obtained 
might  equal  my  present  income !  It  is  true,  this  theory  was 
not  directly  applied  to  me,  as  my  farms  were  to  fall  in  by 
the  covenants  of  their  leases,  but  it  had  been  directly  applied 
to  Stephen  and  William  Van  Rensselaer,  and,  by  implica 
tion,  to  others ;  and  my  turn  might  come  next.  What  busi 
ness  had  the  Rensselaers,  or  the  Livingstons,  or  the  Hunters, 
or  the  Littlepages,  or  the  Verplancks,  or  the  Morgans,  or  the 
Wadsworths,  or  five  hundred  others  similarly  placed,  to  en 
tertain  "  sentiments"  that  interfered  with  "  business,"  or  that 
interfered  with  the  wishes  of  any  straggling  Yankee  who 
had  found  his  way  out  of  New  England,  and  wanted  a  par 
ticular  farm  on  his  own  terms  ?  It  is  aristocratic  to  put  sen 
timent  in  opposition  to  trade ;  and  TRADE  ITSELF  is  NOT  TO 


120  THE    REDSKINS. 

BE    TRADE  ANY  LONGER   THAN  ALL   THE    PROFIT    IS    TO    BE 
POUND  ON  THE  SIDE  OF  NUMBERS.       Even   the    principles  of 

noly  trade  are  to  be  governed  by  majorities ! 

Even  my  uncle  Ro,  who  never  owned  a  foot  of  the  pro 
perty,  could  not  look  at  it  without  emotion.  He  too  had 
been  born  there — had  passed  his  childhood  there — and  loved 
the  spot  without  a  particle  of  the  grovelling  feeling  of  ava 
rice.  He  took  pleasure  in  remembering  that  our  race  had 
been  the  only  owners  of  the  soil  on  which  he  stood,  and  had 
that  very  justifiable  pride  which  belongs  to  enduring  respect- 
ability  and  social  station. 

"  Well,  Hugh,"  he  cried,  after  both  of  us  had  stood  gazing 
at  the  grey  walls  of  the  good  and  substantial,  but  certainly 
not  very  beautiful  dwelling,  "  here  we  are,  and  we  now  may 
determine  on  what  is  next  to  be  done.  Shall  we  march 
down  to  the  village,  which  is  four  miles  distant,  you  will 
remember,  and  get  our  breakfasts  there? — shall  we  try  one 
of  your  tenants  1 — or  shall  we  plunge  at  once  in  medias  res, 
and  ask  hospitality  of  my  mother  and  your  sister  ?" 

"  The  last  might  excite  suspicion,  I  fear,  sir.  Tar  and 
feathers  would  be  our  mildest  fate  did  we  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  Injins." 

"  Injins !  Why  not  go  at  once  to  the  wigwam  of  Sus- 
quesus,  and  get  out  of  him  and  Yop  the  history  of  the  state 
of  things.  I  heard  them  speaking  of  the  Onondago  at  our 
tavern  last  night,  and  while  they  said  he  was  generally 
thought  to  be  much  more  than  a  hundred,  that  he  was  still 
like  a  man  of  eighty.  That  Indian  is  full  of  observation, 
and  may  let  us  into  some  of  the  secrets  of  his  brethren." 

"  They  can  at  least  give  us  the  news  from  the  family ; 
and  though  it  might  seem  in  the  course  of  things  for  pedlars 
to  visit  the  Nest  House,  it  will  be  just  as  much  so  for  them 
to  halt  at  the  wigwam." 

This  consideration  decided  the  matter,  and  away  we  went 
towards  the  ravine  or  glen,  on  the  side  of  which  stood  the 
primitive-looking  hut  that  went  by  the  name  of  the  "  wig 
wam."  The  house  was  a  small  cabin  of  logs,  neat  and 
warm,  or  cool,  as  the  season  demanded.  As  it  was  kept 
up,  and  was  whitewashed,  and  occasionally  furnished  anew 
by  the  landlord — the  odious  creature !  he  who  paid  for  so 
many  similar  things  in  the  neighbourhood — it  was  never 


THE     REDSKINS.  123 

unfit  to  be  seen,  though  never  of  a  very  alluring,  cottage- 
like  character.  There  was  a  garden,  and  it  had  been  pro 
perly  made  that  very  season,  the  negro  picking  and  pecking 
about  it,  during  the  summer,  in  a  way  to  coax  the  vegeta 
bles  and  fruits  on  a  little,  though  I  well  knew  that  the  regu 
lar  weedings  came  from  an  assistant  at  the  Nest,  who  was 
ordered  to  give  it  an  eye  and  an  occasional  half-day.  On 
one  side  of  the  hut  there  was  a  hog-pen  and  a  small  stable 
for  a  cow ;  but  on  the  other  the  trees  of  the  virgin  forest, 
which  had  never  been  disturbed  in  that  glen,  overshadowed 
the  roof.  This  somewhat  poetical  arrangement  was  actually 
the  consequence  of  a  compromise  between  the  tenants  of  the 
cabin,  the  negro  insisting  on  the  accessories  of  his  rude  ci 
vilization,  while  the  Indian  required  the  shades  of  the  woods 
to  reconcile  him  to  his  position.  Here  had  these  two  sin 
gularly  associated  beings — the  one  deriving  his  descent  from 
the  debased  races  of  Africa,  and  the  other  from  the  fierce 
but  lofty-minded  aboriginal  inhabitant  of  this  continent  — 
dwelt  nearly  for  the  whole  period  of  an  ordinary  human 
life.  The  cabin  itself  began  to  look  really  ancient,  while 
those  who  dwelt  in  it  had  little  altered  within  the  memory 
of  man !  Such  instances  of  longevity,  whatever  theorists 
may  say  on  the  subject,  are  not  unfrequent  among  either 
the  blacks  or  the  "  natives,"  though  probably  less  so  among 
the  last  than  among  the  first,  and  still  less  so  among  the 
first  of  the  northern  than  of  the  southern  sections  of  the  re 
public.  It  is  common  to  say  that  the  great  age  so  often 
attributed  to  the  people  of  these  two  races  is  owing  to  igno 
rance  of  the  periods  of  their  births,  and  that  they  do  not 
live  longer  than  the  whites.  This  may  be  true,  in  the  main, 
for  a  white  man  is  known  to  have  died  at  no  great  distance 
from  Ravensnest,  within  the  last  five-and-twenty  years,  who 
numbered  more  than  his  six  score  of  years ;  but  aged  ne 
groes  and  aged  Indians  are  nevertheless  so  common,  when 
the  small  ness  of  their  whole  numbers  is  remembered,  as  to 
render  the  fact  apparent  to  most  of  those  who  have  seen 
much  of  their  respective  people. 

There  was  no  highway  in  the  vicinity  of  the  wigwam,  for 
BO  the  cabin  was  generally  called,  though  wigwam,  in  the 
strict  meaning  of  the  word,  it  was  not.   ^As  the  little  build 
ing  stood  in  the  grounds  of  the  Nest  House,  which  contain 
11 


122  THE     REDSKINS. 

two  hundred  acres,  a  bit  of  virgin  forest  included,  and  ex 
clusively  of  the  fields  that  belonged  to  the  adjacent  farm,  it 
*vas  approached  only  by  foot-paths,  of  which  several  led  to 
and  from  it,  and  by  one  narrow,  winding  carriage-road, 
which,  in  passing  for  miles  through  the  grounds,  had  been 
.ed  near  the  hut,  in  order  to  enable  my  grandmother  and 
sister,  and,  I  dare  say,  my  dear  departed  mother,  while  she 
lived,  to  make  their  calls  in  their  frequent  airings.  By  this 
sweeping  road  we  approached  the  cabin. 

"  There  are  the  two  old  fellows,  sunning  themselves  this 
fine  day  !"  exclaimed  my  uncle,  with  something  like  tremor 
in  his  voice,  as  we  drew  near  enough  to  the  hut  to  distin 
guish  objects.  "  Hugh,  I  never  see  these  men  without  a 
feeling  of  awe,  as  well  as  of  affection.  They  were  the 
friends,  and  one  was  the  slave  of  my  grandfather ;  and  ag 
long  as  I  can  remember,  have  they  been  aged  men !  They 
seem  to  be  set  up  here  as  monuments  of  the  past,  to  connect 
the  generations  that  are  gone  with  those  that  are  to  come." 

"  If  so,  sir,  they  will  soon  be  all  there  is  of  their  sort.  It 
really  seems  to  me  that,  if  things  continue  much  longer  in 
their  present  direction,  men  will  begin  to  grow  jealous  and 
envious  of  history  itself,  because  its  actors  have  left  de 
scendants  to  participate  in  any  little  credit  they  may  have 
gained," 

"  Beyond  all  contradiction,  boy,  tnere  is  a  strange  per 
version  of  the  old  and  natural  sentiments  on  this  head  among 
us.  But  you  must  bear  in  mind  the  fact,  that  of  the  two 
millions  and  a  half  the  State  contains,  not  half  a  million, 
probably,  possess  any  of  the  true  York  blood,  and  can  con 
sequently  feel  any  of  the  sentiments  connected  with  the 
birth-place  and  the  older  traditions  of  the  very  society  in 
which  they  live.  A  great  deal  must  be  attributed  to  the 
facts  of  our  condition ;  though  I  admit  those  facts  need  not, 
and  ought  not  to  unsettle  principles.  But  look  at  those  two 
old  fellows  !  There  they  are,  true  to  the  feeiings  and  habits 
of  their  races,  even  after  passing  so  long  a  time  together  in 
this  hut.  There  squats  Susquesus  on  a  stone,  idle  and  dis 
daining  work,  with  his  rifle  leaning  against  the  apple-tree ; 
while  Jaaf — or  Yop,  as  I  believe  it  is  better  to  call  him — is 
pecking  about  in  the  garden,  still  a  slave  at  his  work,  in 
fancy  at  least." 


THE     REDSKINS.  123 

"  And  which  is  the  happiest,  sir— the  industrious  old  man 
or  the  idler?" 

"  Probably  each  finds  most  happiness  in  indulging  his 
own  early  habits.  The  Onondago  never  would  work,  how 
ever,  and  I  have  heard  my  father  say,  great  was  his  happi 
ness  when  he  found  he  was  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his 
days  in  otium  cum  dignitatc,  and  without  the  necessity  of 
making  baskets." 

"  Yop  is  looking  at  us ;  had  we  not  better  go  up  at  once 
and  speak  to  them  ?" 

"  Yop  may  stare  the  most  openly,  but  my  life  on  it  the 
Indian  sees  twice  as  much.  His  faculties  are  the  best,  to 
begin  with ;  and  he  is  a  man  of  extraordinary  and  charac 
teristic  observation.  In  his  best  days  nothing  ever  escaped 
him.  As  you  say,  we  will  approach." 

My  uncle  and  myself  then  consulted  on  the  expediency 
of  using  broken  English  with  these  two  old  men,  of  which, 
at  first,  we  saw  no  necessity ;  but  when  we  remembered 
that  others  might  join  us,  and  that  our  communications  with 
the  two  might  be  frequent  for  the  next  few  days,  we  changed 
our  minds,  and  determined  rigidly  to  observe  our  incog 
nitos. 

As  we  came  up  to  the  door  of  the  hut,  Jaaf  slowly  left  his 
little  garden  and  joined  the  Indian,  who  remained  immove- 
able  and  unmoved  on  the  stone  which  served  him  for  a  seat. 
We  could  see  but  little  change  in  either  during  the  five  years 
of  our  absence,  each  being  a  perfect  picture,  in  his  way,  of 
extreme  but  not  decrepit  old  age  in  the  men  of  his  race.  Of 
the  two,  the  black — if  black  he  could  now  be  called,  his  co 
lour  being  a  muddy  grey — was  the  most  altered,  though 
that  seemed  scarcely  possible  when  I  saw  him  last.  As  for 
the  Trackless,  or  Susquesus,  as  he  was  commonly  called,  his 
temperance  throughout  a  long  life  did  him  good  service, 
and  his  half-naked  limbs  and  skeleton-like  body,  for  he  wore 
the  summer  dress  of  his  people,  appeared  to  be  made  of  a 
leather  long  steeped  in  a  tannin  of  the  purest  quality.  His 
sinews,  too,  though  much  stiffened,  seemed  yet  to  be  of 
whip-cord,  and  his  whole  frame  a  species  of  indurated  mum 
my  that  retained  its  vitality.  The  colour  of  the  skin  was 
less  red  than  formerly,  and  more  closely  approached  to  that 


124  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  the  negro,  as  the  latter  now  was,  though  perceptibly  dif 
ferent. 

"  Sago — sago,"  cried  my  uncle,  as  we  came  quite  near, 
seeing  no  risk  in  using  that  familiar  semi-Indian  salutation.* 
"  Sago,  sago,  dis  charmin'  mornin  ;  in  my  tongue,  dat  mighi, 
be  guten  tag" 

"  Sago,"  returned  the  Trackless,  in  his  deep,  guttural 
voice,  while  old  Yop  brought  two  lips  together  that  resem 
bled  thick  pieces  of  overdone  beef-steak,  fastened  his  red- 
encircled  gummy  eyes  on  each  of  us  in  turn,  pouted  once 
more,  working  his  jaws  as  if  proud  of  the  excellent  teeth  they 
still  held,  and  said  nothing.  As  the  slave  of  a  Littlepage,  h 
held  pedlars  as  inferior  beings ;  for  the  ancient  negroes  ot 
New  York  ever  identified  themselves,  more  or  less,  with  the 
families  to  which  they  belonged,  and  in  which  they  so  often 
were  born.  "  Sago,"  repeated  the  Indian,  slowly,  courteous 
ly,  and  with  emphasis,  after  he  had  looked  a  moment  longer 
at  my  uncle,  as  if  he  saw  something  about  him  to  command 
respect. 

"  Dis  ist  charmin'  day,  frients,"  said  uncle  Ro,  placing 
himself  coolly  on  a  log  of  wood  that  had  been  hauled  for 
the  stove,  and  wiping  his  brow.  "  Vat  might  you  calls  dis 
coontry  ?" 

"  Dis  here  ?"  answered  Yop,  not  without  a  little  contempt. 
"  Dis  is  York  Colony ;  where  you  come  from  to  ask  sich  a 
question?" 

"  Charmany.  Dat  ist  far  off,  but  a  goot  coontry  ;  ant 
dis  ist  goot  coontry  too." 

*The  editor  has  often  had  occasion  to  explain  the  meaning  of  terms 
of  this  nature.  The  colonists  caught  a  great  many  words  from  the 
Indians  they  first  knew,  and  used  them  to  all  other  Indians,  though 
not  belonging  to  their  languages  ;  and  these  other  tribes  using  them 
as  English,  a  sort  of  limited  lingua  franqa  has  grown  up  in  the 
country  that  everybody  understands.  It  is  believed  that  "  moccasin," 
"squaw,"  "pappoose,"  "sago,"  "tomahawk,"  "wigwam,"  &c.  &c., 
all  belong  to  this  class  of  words.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the 
sobriquet  of  "  Yankees"  is  derived  from  "  Yengeese,"  the  manner  in 
which  the  tribes  nearest  to  New  England  pronounced  the  word  "  Eng 
lish."  It  is  to  this  hour  a  provincialism  of  that  part  of  the  country  to 
pronounce  this  word  "  Eng-Yish"  instead  of  "  Ing-]\sh"  its  conven 
tional  sound.  The  change  from  "  Eng-lish"  to  «  yew-geese"  is  very 
trifling;. —  EDITOR. 


THB    REDSKINS. 

**  Why  you  leab  him,  den,  if  he  be  good  country,  eh?" 

"  Vhy  you  leaf  Africa,  canst  you  dell  me  dat  ?"  retorted 
uncle  Ro,  somewhat  coolly. 

"  Nebber  was  dere,"  growled  old  Yop,  bringing  his  blub 
ber  lips  together  somewhat  in  the  manner  the  boar  works 
his  jaws  when  it  is  prudent  to  get  out  of  his  way.  "  I  'm 
York-nigger  born,  and  nebber  seen  no  Africa ;  and  nebber 
want  to  see  him,  nudder." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  Jaaf  belonged  to  a 
school  by  which  the  term  of"  coloured  gentleman"  was  never 
used.  The  men  of  his  time  and  stamp  called  themselves 
"  niggers  ;"  and  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  that  age  took  them 
at  their  word,  and  called  them  "  niggers"  too ;  a  term  that 
no  one  of  the  race  ever  uses  now,  except  in  the  way  of  re 
proach,  and  which,  by  one  of  the  singular  workings  of  our 
very  wayward  and  common  nature,  he  is  more  apt  to  use 
than  any  other,  when  reproach  is  intended. 

My  uncle  paused  a  moment  to  reflect  before  he  continued 
a  discourse  that  had  not  appeared  to  commence  under  very 
flattering  auspices. 

"  Who  might  lif  in  dat  big  stone  house?"  asked  uncle  Ro, 
as  soon  as  he  thought  the  negro  had  had  time  to  cool  a 
little. 

"  Anybody  can  see  you  no  Yorker,  by  dat  werry  speech,' 
answered  Yop,  not  at  all  mollified  by  such  a  question.  "  Who 
should  lib  dere  but  Gin'ral  Littlepage  ?" 

"  Veil,  I  dought  he  wast  dead,  long  ago." 

"  What  if  he  be  ?  It 's  his  house,  and  he  lib  in  it ;  ana 
ole  young  missus  lib  dere  too." 

Now,  there  had  been  three  generations  of  generals  among 
the  Littlepages,  counting  from  father  to  son.  First,  there 
had  been  Brigadier  General  Evans  Littlepage,  who  held 
that  rank  in  the  mi-litia,  and  died  in  service  during  the  revo 
lution.  The  next  was  Brigadier  General  Cornelius  Little- 
page,  who  got  his  rank  by  brevet,  at  the  close  of  the  same 
war,  in  which  he  had  actually  figured  as  a  colonel  of  the 
New  York  line.  Third,  and  last,  was  my  own  grandfather, 
Major  General  Mordaunt  Littlepage :  he  had  been  a  cap 
tain  in  his  father's  regiment  at  the  close  of  the  same  strug 
gle,  got  the  brevet  of  major  at  its  termination,  and  rose  to 
be  a  Major  General  of  the  militia,  the  station  he  held  for 
11* 


126  THE     REDSKINS. 

many  years  before  he  died.  As  soon  as  the  privates  had 
the  power  to  elect  their  own  officers,  the  position  of  a  Major 
General  in  the  militia  ceased  to  be  respectable,  and  few  gen 
tlemen  could  be  induced  to  serve.  As  might  have,  been 
foreseen,  the  militia  itself  fell  into  general  contempt,  where 
it  now  is,  and  where  it  will  ever  remain  until  a  different 
class  of  officers  shall  be  chosen.  The  people  can  do  a  great 
deal,  no  doubt,  but  they  cannot  make  a  "  silk  purse  out  of 
a  sow's  ear."  As  soon  as  officers  from  the  old  classes  shall 
be  appointed,  the  militia  will  come  up ;  for  in  no  interest  in 
life  is  it  so  material  to  have  men  of  certain  habits,  and  no 
tions,  and  education,  in  authority,  as  in  those  connected  with 
the  military  service.  A  great  many  fine  speeches  may  be 
made,  and  much  patriotic  eulogy  expended  oh  the  intrinsic 
virtue  and  intelligence  of  the  people,  and  divers  projects  en 
tertained  to  make  "  citizen-soldiers,"  as  they  are  called ;  but 
citizens  never  can  be,  and  never  will  be  turned  into  soldiers 
at  all,  good  or  bad,  until  proper  officers  are  placed  over 
them.  To  return  to  Yop — 

"  Bray  vhat  might  be  der  age  of  das  laty  dat  you  callet 
olt  young  missus?"  asked  my  uncle. 

"  Gosh  !  she  nutten  but  gal — born  sometime  just  a'ter  ole 
French  war.  Remember  her  well  'nough  when  she  Miss 
Dus  Malbone.  Young  masser  Mordaunt  take  fancy  to  her, 
and  make  her  he  wife." 

"  Veil,  I  hopes  you  hafn't  any  objection  to  der  match  ?" 

"  Not  I ;  she  clebber  young  lady  den,  and  she  werry 
clebber  young  lady  now." 

And  this  of  my  venerable  grandmother,  who  had  fairly 
seen  her  four-score  years  ! 

"  Who  might  be  der  master  of  das  big  house  now?" 

"  Gin'ral  Littlepage,  does  n't  I  tell  ye !  Masser  Mor- 
daunt's  name,  my  young  master.  Sus,  .dere,  only  Injin  ;  he 
nebber  so  lucky  as  hab  a  good  master.  Niggers  gettin* 
scarce,  dey  tells  me,  now-a-days,  in  dis  world !" 

"  Injins,  too,  I  dinks ;  dere  ist  no  more  redskins  might  be 
blenty." 

The  manner  in  which  the  Onondago  raised  his  figure,  and 
tke  look  he  fastened  on  my  uncle,  were  both  fine  and  start 
ing.  As  yet  he  had  said  nothing  beyond  the  salutation ; 
but  I  could  see  he  now  intended  to  speak. 


THE     REDSKINS.  1 

a  New  tribe,"  he  said,  after  regarding  us  for  half  a  mi 
nute  intently  ;  "  what  you  call  him — where  he  come  from?" 

u  ja?  ja — das  ist  der  anti-rent  redskins.  Haf  you  seen 
'em,  Trackless  ?" 

"  Sartain  ;  come  to  see  me — face  in  bag  —  behave  like 
squaw  ;  poor  Injin — poor  warrior  !" 

"  Yees,  I  believes  dat  ist  true  enough.  I  can't  bear  soch 
Injin  !  —  might  not  be  soch  Injin  in  world.  Vhat  you  call 
'em,  eh?" 

Susquesus  shook  his  head  slowly,  and  with  dignity. 
Then  he  gazed  intently  at  my  uncle ;  after  which  he  fast 
ened  his  eyes,  in  a  similar  manner  on  me.  In  this  manner 
his  looks  turned  from  one  to  the  other  for  some  little  time, 
when  he  again  dropped  them  to  the  earth,  calmly  and  in 
silence.  I  took  out  the  hurdy-gurdy,  and  began  to  play  a 
lively  air — one  that  was  very  popular  among  the  American 
blacks,  and  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is  getting  to  be  not 
less  so  among  the  whites.  No  visible  effect  was  produced 
on  Susquesus,  unless  a  slight  shade  of  contempt  was  visible 
on  his  dark  features.  With  Jaaf,  however,  -it  was  very  dif 
ferent.  Old  as  he  was,  I  could  see  a  certain  nervous  twitch 
ing  of  the  lower  limbs,  which  indicated  that  the  old  fellow 
actually  felt  some  disposition  to  dance.  It  soon  passed 
away,  though  his  grim,  hard,  wrinkled,  dusky,  grey  coun 
tenance  continued  to  gleam  with  a  sort  of  dull  pleasure  for 
some  time.  There  was  nothing  surprising  in  this,  the  indif 
ference  of  the  Indian  to  melody  being  almost  as  marked  as 
the  negro's  sensitiveness  to  its  power. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  men  so  aged  would  be  dis 
posed  to  talk  much.  The  Onondago  had  ever  been  a  silent 
man ;  dignity  and  gravity  of  character  uniting  with  pru 
dence  to  render  him  so.  But  Jaaf  was  constitutionally  gar 
rulous,  though  length  of  days  had  necessarily  much  dimi 
nished  the  propensity.  At  that  moment  a  fit  of  thoughtful 
and  melancholy  silence  came  over  my  uncle,  too,  and  all 
four  of  us  continued  brooding  on  our  own  reflections  for  two 
or  three  minutes  after  I  had  ceased  to  play.  Presently  the 
even,  smooth  approach  of  carriage-wheels  was  heard,  and 
a  light,  summer  vehicle  that  was  an  old  acquaintance,  came 
whirling  round  the  stable,  and  drew  up  within  ten  feet  of 
the  spot  where  we  were  all  seated. 


i'JS  THE     REDSKINS. 

My  heart  was  in  my  mouth,  at  this  unexpected  interrup 
tion,  and  I  could  perceive  that  my  uncle  was  scarcely  less 
u fleeted.  Amid  the  flowing  and  pretty  drapery  of  summer 
s  hawis,  and  the  other  ornaments  of  the  female  toilet,  were 
i'our  youthful  and  sunny  faces,  and  one  venerable  with 
\  ears.  In  a  word,  my  grandmother,  my  sister,  and  my 
uncle's  two  other  wards,  and  Mary  Warren,  were  in  the 
•  arriage ;  yes,  the  pretty,  gentle,  timid,  yet  spirited  and 
intelligent  daughter  of  the  rector  was  of  the  party,  and 
seemingly  quite  at  home  and  at  her  ease,  as  one  among 
friends.  She  was  the  first  to  speak  even,  though  it  was  in 
a  low,  quiet  voice,  addressed  to  my  sister,  and  in  words  that 
appeared  extorted  by  surprise. 

"  There  are  the  very  two  pedlars  of  whom  I  told  you, 
Martha,"  she  said,  "  and  now  you  may  hear  the  flute  well 
played." 

"  I  doubt  if  he  can  play  better  than  Hugh,"  was  my  dear 
sister's  answer.  "  But  we  '11  have  some  of  his  music,  if  il 
be  only  to  remind  us  of  him  who  is  so  far  away." 

"  The  music  we  can  and  will  have,  my  child,"  cried  my 
grandmother,  cheerfully ;  "  though  that  is  not  wanted  to 
remind  us  of  our  absent  boy.  Good  morrow,  Susquesus  ; 
I  hope  this  fine  day  agrees  with  you." 

"  Sago,"  returned  the  Indian,  making  a  dignified  and 
even  graceful  forward  gesture  with  one  arm,  though  he  did 
not  rise.  "  Weadder  good — Great  Spirit  good,  dat  reason. 
How  squaws  do  ?" 

"  We  are  all  well,  I  thank  you,  Trackless.  Good  mor 
row,  Jaaf;  how  do  you  do,  this  fine  morning?" 

Yop,  or  Jaap,  or  Jaaf,  rose  tottering,  made  a  low  obei» 
sance,  and  then  answered  in  the  semi-respectful,  semi-fami 
liar  manner  of  an  old,  confidential  family  servant;  as  the 
last  existed  among  our  fathers  : 

"  T'ank  'ee,  Miss  Dus,  wid  all  my  heart,"  he  answered. 
"  Pretty  well  to-day ;  but  ole  Sus,  he  fail,  and  grow  ol'er 
and  ol'er  desp'ate  fast !" 

Now,  of  the  two,  the  Indian  was  much  the  finest  relic  of 
human  powers,  though  he  was  less  uneasy  and  more  sta 
tionary  than  the  black.  But  the  propensity  to  see  the  mote 
in  the  eye  of  his  friend,  while  he  forgot  the  beam  in  his 
own,  was  a  long-established  and  well-known  weakness  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  129 

Jaaf,  and  its  present  exhibition  caused  everybody  to  smile. 
I  was  delighted  with  the  beaming,  laughing  eyes  of  Mary 
Warren  in  particular,  though  she  said  nothing. 

**  I  cannot  say  I  agree  with  you,  Jaaf,"  returned  my 
smiling  grandmother.  "  The  Trackless  bears  his  years 
surprisingly ;  and  I  think  I  have  not  seen  him  look  better 
this  many  a  day  than  he  is  looking  this  morning.  We  are 
none  of  us  as  young  as  we  were  when  we  first  became  ac 
quainted,  Jaaf —  which  is  now  near,  if  not  quite,  three-score 
years  ago." 

"  You  nuttin'  but  gal,  nudder,"  growled  the  negro.  "  Ole 
Sus  be  raal  ole  fellow ;  but  Miss  Dus  and  Masser  Mordaunt, 
dey  get  married  only  tudder  day.  Why  dat  was  a'ter  de 
revylooshen !" 

"  It  was,  indeed,"  replied  the  venerable  woman,  with  a 
touch  of  melancholy  in  her  tones ;  "  but  the  revolution  took 
place  many,  many  a  long  year  since !" 

"  Well,  now,  I  be  surprise,  Miss  Dus !  How  you  call 
dat  so  long,  when  he  only  be  tudder  day?"  retorted  the 
pertinacious  negro,  who  began  to  grow  crusty,  and  to  speak 
in  a  short,  spiteful  way,  as  if  displeased  by  hearing  that  to 
which  he  could  not  assent.  "  Masser  Corny  was  little  ole, 
p'r'aps,  if  he  lib,  but  all  de  rest  ob  you  nuttin'  but  children. 
Tell  me  one  t'ing,  Miss  Dus,  be  it  true  dey 's  got  a  town  at 
Satanstoe?" 

"  An  attempt  was  made,  a  few  years  since,  to  turn  the 
whole  country  into  towns,  and,  among  other  places,  the 
Neck ;  but  I  believe  it  will  never  be  anything  more  than  a 
capital  farm." 

"  So  besser.  Dat  good  land,  I  tell  you  !  One  acre  down 
elere  wort'  more  dan  twenty  acre  up  here." 

"My  grandson  would  not  be  pleased  to  hear  you  say 
that,  Jaaf." 

"  Who  your  grandson,  Miss  Dus.  Remember  you  hab 
little  baby  tudder  day  ;  but  baby  can't  hab  baby." 

"Ah,  Jaaf,  my  old  friend,  my  babies  have  long  since 
been  men  and  women,  and  are  drawing  on  to  old  age.  One, 
and  he  was  my  first  born,  is  gone  before  us  to  a  better 
world,  and  his  boy  is  now  your  young  master.  This  young 
lady,  that  is  seated  opposite  to  me,  is  the  sister  of  that  young 


130  THE     REDSKINS. 

master,  and  she  would  be'grieved  to  think  you  have  forgot 
ten  her." 

Jaaf  laboured  under  the  difficulty  so  common  to  old  age- 
he  was  forgetful  of  things  of  more  recent  date,  while  he  re 
membered  those  which  had  occurred  a  century  ago !  The 
memory  is  a  tablet  that  partakes  of  the  peculiarity  of  all 
our  opinions  and  habits.  In  youth  it  is  easily  impressed, 
and  the  images  then  engraved  on  it  are  distinct,  deep  and 
lasting,  while  those  that  succeed  become  crowded,  and  take 
less  root,  from  the  circumstance  of  finding  the  ground 
already  occupied.  In  the  present  instance,  the  age  was  so 
great  that  the  change  was  really  startling,  the  old  negro's 
recollections  occasionally  coming  on  the  mind  like  a  voice 
from  the  grave.  As  for  the  Indian,  as  I  afterwards  ascer 
tained,  he  was  better  preserved  in  all  respects  than  the 
black  ;  his  great  temperance  in  youth,  freedom  from  labour, 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  united  to  the  comforts  and  abun 
dance  of  semi-civilized  habits,  that  had  now  lasted  for  near 
a  century,  contributing  to  preserve  both  mind  and  body. 
As  I  now  looked  at  him,  I  remembered  what  I  had  heard  in 
boyhood  of  his  history. 

There  had  ever  been  a  mystery  about  the  life  of  the  Onon- 
dago.  If  any  one  of  our  set  had  ever  been  acquainted  with 
the  facts,  it  was  Andries  Coejemans,  a  half-uncle  of  my  dear 
grandmother,  a  person  who  has  been  known  among  us  by 
the  sobriquet  of  the  Chainbearer.  My  grandmother  had 
told  me  that  "  uncle  Chainbearer,"  as  we  all  called  the  old 
relative,  did  know  all  about  Susquesus,  in  his  time — the 
reason  why  he  had  left  his  tribe,  and  become  a  hunter,  and 
warrior,  and  runner  among  the  pale-faces — and  that  he  had 
always  said  the  particulars  did  his  red  friend  great  credit, 
but  that  he  would  reveal  it  no  further.  So  great,  however, 
was  uncle  Chainbearer's  reputation  for  integrity,  that  such 
an  opinion  was  sufficient  to  procure  for  the  Onondago  the 
fullest  confidence  of  the  whole  connection,  and  the  experi 
ence  of  four-score  years  and  ten  had  proved  that  this  confi 
dence  was  well  placed.  Some  imputed  the  sort  of  exile  in 
which  the  old  man  had  so  long  lived  to  love ;  others  to  war , 
and  others,  again,  to  the  consequences  of  those  fierce  per 
sonal  feuds  that  are  known  to  occur  among  men  in  the  sa« 


THE     REDSKINS.  131 

vage  stale.  But  all  was  just  as  much  a  mystery  and  matter 
of  conjecture,  now  we  were  drawing  near  to  the  middle  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  as  it  had  been  when  our  forefathers 
were  receding  from  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  !  To  re 
turn  to  the  negro. 

Although  Jaaf  had  momentarily  forgotten  me,  and  quite 
forgotten  my  parents,  he  remembered  my  sister,  who  was 
in  the  habit  of  seeing  him  so  often.  In  what  manner  he 
connected  her  with  the  family,  it  is  not  easy  to  say ;  but  he 
knew  her  not  only  by  sight,  but  by  name,  and,  as  one  might 
say,  by  blood. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  cried  the  old  fellow,  a  little  eagerly,  '  champ 
ing'  his  thick  lips  together,  somewhat  as  an  alligator  snaps 
his  jaws,  "  yes,  I  knows  Miss  Patty,  of  course.  Miss  Patty 
is  werry  han'some,  and  grows  han'somer  and  han'somer 
ebbery  time  I  sees  her — yah,  yah,  yah !"  The  laugh  of 
that  old  negro  sounded  startling  and  unnatural,  yet  there 
was  something  of  the  joyous  in  it,  after  all,  like  every  ne 
gro's  laugh.  "  Yah,  yah,  yah  !  Yes,  Miss  Patty  won'erful 
han'some,  and  werry  like  Miss  Dus.  I  s'pose,  now,  Miss 
Patty  wast  born  about  'e  time  dat  Gin'ral  Washington  die." 

As  this  was  a  good  deal  more  than  doubling  my  sister's 
age,  it  produced  a  common  laugh  among  the  light-hearted 
girls  in  the  carriage.  A  gleam  of  intelligence  that  almost 
amounted  to  a  smile  also  shot  athwart  the  countenance  of 
the  Onondago,  while  the  muscles  of  his  face  worked,  but  he 
said  nothing.  I  had  reason  to  know  afterwards  that  the 
tablet  of  his  memory  retained  its  records  better. 

"  What  friends  have  you  with  you  to-day,  Jaaf,"  inquired 
my  grandmother,  inclining  her  head  towards  us  pedlars 
graciously,  at  the  same  time ;  a  salutation  that  my  uncle 
Ro  and  myself  rose  hastily  to  acknowledge. 

As  for  myself,  I  own  honestly  that  I  could  have  jumped 
into  the  vehicle  and  kissed  my  dear  grandmother's  still  good- 
looking  but  colourless  cheeks,  and  hugged  Patt,  and  possi 
bly  some  of  the  others,  to  my  heart.  Uncle  Ro  had  more 
command  of  himself;  though  I  could  see  that  the  sound  of 
his  venerable  parent's  voice,  in  which  the  tremour  was 
barely  perceptible,  was  near  overcoming  him. 

"  Dese  be  pedlar,  ma'am,  I  do  s'pose,"  answe/ed  the  black. 
*  Dey  's  got  box  wid  somet'in'  in  him,  and  dey  's  got  new 


loX:  THE     REDS  KINS* 

kind  of  fiddle.     Come,  young  man,  gib  Miss  Dus  a  tune— « 
a  libely  one  ;  sich  as  make  an  ole  nigger  dance." 

I  drew  round  the  hurdy-gurdy,  and  was  beginning  to 
flourish  away,  when  a  gentle,  sweet  voice,  raised  a  littlo 
louder  than  usual  by  eagerness,  interrupted  me. 

"  Oh  !  not  that  thing,  not  that ;  the  flute,  the  flute  !"  ex- 
claimed  Mary  Warren,  blushing  to  the  eyes  at  her  own  bold 
ness,  the  instant  she  saw  that  she  was  heard,  and  that  I  was 
about  to  comply. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  I  bowed  respectfully, 
laid  down  the  hurdy-gurdy,  drew  the  flute  from  my  pocket, 
and,  after  a  few  flourishes,  commenced  playing  one  of  the 
newest  airs,  or  melodies,  from  a  favourite  opera.  I  saw  the 
colour  rush  into  Martha's  cheeks  the  moment  I  had  got 
i  h  rough  a  bar  or  two,  and  the  start  she  gave  satisfied  me 
ihat  the  dear  girl  remembered  her  brother's  flute.  I  had 
played  on  that  very  instrument  ever  since  I  was  sixteen,  but 
1  had  made  an  immense  progress  in  the  art  during  the  five 
years  just  passed  in  Europe.  Masters  at  Naples,  Paris,  Vi 
enna  and  London  had  done  a  great  deal  for  me ;  and  I  trust 
I  shall  not  be  thought  vain  if  I  add,  that  nature  had  done 
something,  too.  My  excellent  grandmother  listened  in  pro 
found  attention,  and  all  four  of  the  girls  were  enchanted. 

"  That  music  is  worthy  of  being  heard  in  a  room,"  ob 
served  the  former,  as  soon  as  I  concluded  the  air ;  "  and 
we  shall  hope  to  hear  it  this  evening,  at  the  Nest  House,  if 
you  remain  anywhere  near  us.  In  the  mean  time,  we  must 
pursue  our  airing.1* 

As  my  grandmother  spoke  she  leaned  forward,  and  ex 
tended  her  hand  to  me,  with  a  benevolent  smile.  I  ad 
vanced,  received  the  dollar  that  was  offered,  and,  unable  to 
command  my  feelings,  raised  the  hand  to  my  lips,  respect 
fully  but  with  fervour.  Had  Martha's  face  been  near  me, 
it  would  have  suffered  also.  I  suppose  there  was  nothing 
in  this  respectful  salutation  that  struck  the  spectators  as  very 
much  out  of  the  way,  foreigners  having  foreign  customs, 
but  I  saw  a  flush  in  my  venerable  grandmother's  cheek,  as 
the  carriage  moved  off.  She  had  noted  the  warmth  of  the 
manner.  My  uncle  had  turned  away,  I  dare  say  to  conceal 
the  tears  that  started  to  his  eyes,  and  Jaaf  followed  towards 
the  door  of  th£  hut,  whither  my  uncle  moved,  in  order  to 


THE    REDSKINS.  133 

do  the  honours  of  the  place.     This  left  me  quite  alone  with 
the  Indian. 

"  Why  no  kiss  face  of  grandmodder  ?"  asked  the  Onon- 
dago,  coolly  and  quietly. 

Had  a  clap  of  thunder  broken  over  my  head,  I  could  not 
have  been  more  astonished  !  The  disguise  that  had  deceived 
my  nearest  relations  —  that  had  baffled  Seneca  Newcome, 
and  had  set  at  naught  even  his  sister  Opportunity — had 
failed  to  conceal  me  from  that  Indian,  whose  faculties  might 
be  supposed  to  have  been  numbed  with  age ! 

"  Is  it  possible  that  you  know  me,  Susquesus !"  I  ex 
claimed,  signing  towards  the  negro  at  the  same  time,  by 
way  of  caution  ;  "  that  you  remember  me,  at  all !  I  should 
have  thought  this  wig,  these  clothes,  would  have  concealed 
me." 

"  Sartain,"  answered  the  aged  Indian,  calmly.  "  Know 
young  chief  soon  as  see  him ;  know  fader — know  naudder ; 
know  gran' fader,  gran'mudder — great-gran'fader;  his  fader, 
too ;  know  all.  Why  forget  young  chief?" 

"  Did  you  know  me  before  I  kissed  my  grandmother's 
hand,  or  only  by  that  act  ? 

"  Know  as  soon  as  see  him.  What  eyes  good  for,  if 
don't  know  1  Know  uncle,  dere,  sartain  ;  welcome  home !" 

"  But  you  will  not  let  others  knOw  us,  too,  Trackless  ? 
We  have  always  been  friends,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Be  sure,  friends.  Why  ole  eagle,  wid  white  head,  strike 
yoiung  pigeon  7  Nebber  hatchet  in  'e  path  between  Sus 
quesus  and  any  of  de  tribe  of  Ravensnest.  Too  ole  to  dig 
him  up  now." 

"  There  are  good  reasons  why  my  uncle  and  myself 
should  not  be  known  for  a  few  days.  Perhaps  you  have 
heard  something  of  the  trouble  that  has  grown  up  between 
the  landlords  and  the  tenants,  in  the  land  ?" 

"  W hat  dat  trouble?" 

"  The  tenants  are  tired  of  paying  rent,  and  wish  to  make 
a  new  bargain,  by  which  they  can  become  owners  of  the 
forms  on  which  they  live." 

A  grim  light  played  upon  the  swarthy  countenance  of  the 
Indian  :  his  lips  moved,  but  he  uttered  nothing  aloud. 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  of  this,  Susquesus  ?" 
12 


134  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Little  bird  sing  sich  song  in  my  ear — didn't  like  to 
hear  it." 

"  And  of  Indians  who  are  moving  up  and  down  the  coun 
try,  armed  with  rifles  and  dressed  in  calico  ?" 

"  What  tribe,  dem  Injin,"  asked  the  Trackless,  with  a 
quickness  and  a  fire  I  did  not  think  it  possible  for  him  to 
retain.  "What  'ey  do,  marchin'  'bout?  —  on  war-path, 
eh?" 

"  In  one  sense  they  may  be  said  to  be  so.  They  belong 
to  the  anti-rent  tribe ;  do  you  know  such  a  nation  ?" 

"  Poor  Injin  dat,  b'lieve.  Why  come  so  late?  —  why  no 
come  when  'e  foot  of  Susquesus  light  as  feather  of  bird  ?  — 
why  stay  away  till  pale-faces  plentier  dan  leaf  on  tree,  or 
snow  in  air?  Hundred  year  ago,  when  dat  oak  little,  sich 
Injin  might  be  good  ;  now,  he  good  for  nuttin'." 

"But  you  will  keep  our  secret,  Sus?  —  will  not  even  tell 
the  negro  who  we  are  ?" 

The  Trackless  simply  nodded  his  head  in  assent.  After 
this  he  seemed  to  me  to  sink  back  in  a  sort  of  brooding  le 
thargy,  as  if  indisposed  to  pursue  the  subject.  I  left  him  to 
go  to  my  uncle,  in  order  to  relate  what  had  just  passed. 
Mr.  Roger  Littlepage  was  as  much  astonished  as  I  had  been 
myself,  at  hearing  that  one  so  aged  should  have  detected 
us  through  disguises  that  had  deceived  our  nearest  of  kin. 
But  the  quiet  penetration  and  close  observation  of  the  man 
had  long  been  remarkable.  As  his  good  faith  was  of  proof, 
however,  Neither  felt  any  serious  apprehension  of  being  be 
trayed,  as  soon  as  he  had  a  moment  for  reflection. 


THE    REDSKINS 


135 


CHAPTER  IX. 

«  He  saw  a  cottage  with  a  double  coach-house, 
A  cottage  of  gentility  ; 
And  the  devil  did  grin,  for  his  darling  sin 
Is  the  pride  that  apes  humility." 

Devil's  Thoughts. 

IT  was  now  necessary  to  determine  what  course  we  ought 
next  to  pursue.  It  might  appear  presuming  in  men  of  our 
pursuits  to  go  to  the  Nest  before  the  appointed  time ;  and 
did  we  proceed  on  to  the  village,  we  should  have  the  dis 
tance  between  the  two  places  to  walk  over  twice,  carrying 
our  instruments  and  jewel-box.  After  a  short  consultation, 
it  was  decided  to  visit  the  nearest  dwellings,  and  to  remain 
as  near  my  own  house  as  was  practicable,  making  an  ar 
rangement  to  sleep  somewhere  in  its  immediate  vicinity. 
Could  we  trust  any  one  with  our  secret,  our  fare  would  pro 
bably  be  all  the  better;  but  my  uncle  thought  it  most  pru 
dent  to  maintain  a  strict  incognito  until  he  had  ascertained 
the  true  state  of  things  in  the  town. 

We  took  leave  of  the  Indian  and  the  negro,  therefore, 
promising  to  visit  them  again  in  the  course  of  that  or  the 
succeeding  day,  and  followed  the  path  that  led  to  the  farm 
house.  It  was  our  opinion  that  we  might,  at  least,  expect 
to  meet  with  friends  in  the  occupants  of  the  home  farm. 
The  same  family  had  been  retained  in  possession  there  for 
three  generations,  and  being  hired  to  manage  the  husbandry 
and  to  take  care  of  the  dairy,  there  was  not  the  same  reason 
for  the  disaffection,  that  was  said  so  generally  to  exist  among 
the  tenantry,  prevailing  among  them.  The  name  of  this 
family  was  Miller,  and  it  consisted  of  the  two  heads  and 
some  six  or  seven  children,  most  of  the  latter  being  still 
quite  young. 

"  Tom  Miller  was  a  trusty  lad,  when  I  knew  much  of 
him,"  said  my  uncle,  as  we  drew  near  to  the  barn,  in  which 
we  saw  the  party  mentioned,  at  work ;  "  and  he  is  said  to 
have  behaved  well  in  one  or  two  alarms  they  have  had  at 


136  THE    REDSKINS. 

the  Nest,  this  summer ;  still,  it  may  be  wiser  not  to  let  even 
him  into  our  secret  as  yet." 

"  I  am  quite  of  your  mind,  sir,"  I  answered ;  "  for  who 
knows  that  he  has  not  just  as  strong  a  desire  as  any  of  them 
to  own  the  farm  on  which  he  lives  ?  He  is  the  grandson 
of  the  man  who  cleared  it  from  the  forest,  and  has  much  the 
same  title  as  the  rest  of  them." 

"  Very  true ;  and  why  should  not  that  give  him  just  as 
good  a  right  to  claim  an  interest  in  the  farm,  beyond  that 
he  has  got  under  his  contract  to  work  it,  as  if  he  held  a 
lease  ?  He  who  holds  a  lease  gets  no  right  beyond  his  bar 
gain  ;  nor  does  this  man.  The  one  is  paid  for  his  labour 
by  the  excess  of  his  receipts  over  the  amount  of  his  annual 
rent,  while  the  other  is  paid  partly  in  what  he  raises,  and 
partly  in  wages.  In  principle  there  is  no  difference  what 
ever,  not  a  particle ;  yet  I  question  if  the  veriest  demagogue 
in  the  State  would  venture  to  say  that  the  man,  or  the  family, 
which  works  a  farm  for  hire,  even  for  a  hundred  years,  gets 
the  smallest  right  to  say  he  shall  not  quit  it,  if  its  owner 
please,  as  soon  as  his  term  of  service  is  up  !" 

" '  The  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil ;'  and  when 
that  feeling  is  uppermost,  one  can  never  tell  what  a  man 
will  do.  The  bribe  of  a  good  farm,  obtained  for  nothing,  or 
for  an  insignificant  price,  is  sufficient  to  upset  the  morality 
of  even  Tom  Miller." 

"  You  are  right,  Hugh ;  and  here  is  one  of  the  points  in 
which  our  political  men  betray  the  cloven  foot.  They  write, 
and  proclaim,  and  make  speeches,  as  if  the  anti-rent  trou 
bles  grew  out  of  the  durable  lease  system  solely,  whereas 
we  all  know  that  it  is  extended  to  all  descriptions  of  obliga 
tions  given  for  the  occupancy  of  land — life  leases,  leases  for 
a  term  of  years,  articles  for  deeds,  and  bonds  and  mort 
gages.  It  is  a  wide-spread,  though  not  yet  universal  at 
tempt  of  those  who  have  the  least  claim  to  the  possession 
of  real  estate,  to  obtain  the  entire  right,  and  that  by  agen 
cies  that  neither  the  law  nor  good  morals  will  justify. 
It  is  no  new  expedient  for  partizans  to  place  en  evidence 
no  more  of  their  principles  and  intentions  than  suits  their 
purposes.  But,  here  we  are  within  ear-shot,  and  must  re- 
sor,  to  the  High  Dutch.  Guten  tag,  guten  tag"  continued 
uncle  Ro,  dropping  easily  into  the  broken  English  of  ou* 


THE     REDSKINS.  137 

masquerade,  as  we  walked  into  the  barn,  where  Miller,  two 
of  his  older  boys,  and  a  couple  of  hired  men  were  at  work, 
grinding  scythes  and  preparing  for  the  approaching  hay- 
harvest.  "  It  might  be  warm  day,  dis  fine  morninV 

"  Good  day,  good  day,"  cried  Miller,  hastily,  and  glancing 
his  eye  a  little  curiously  at  our  equipments.  "  What  have 
you  got  in  your  box — essences  1" 

"  Nein ;  vatches  and  drinkets ;"  setting  down  the  box 
and  opening  it  at  once,  for  the  inspection  of  all  present. 
"  Von't  you  burchase  a  goot  vatch,  dis  bleasant  mornin'  1" 

"  Be  they  ra-al  gold  ?"  asked  Miller,  a  little  doubtingly. 
"And  all  them  chains  and  rings,  be  they  gold  too?" 

"  Not  true  golt ;  nein,  nein,  I  might  not  say  dat.  But 
goot  enough  golt  for  blain  folks,  like  you  and  me." 

"  Them  things  would  never  do  for  the  grand  quality  over 
at  the  big  house !"  cried  one  of  the  labourers  who  was  un 
known  to  me,  but  whose  name  I  soon  ascertained  was  Joshua 
Brigham,  and  who  spoke  with  a  sort  of  malicious  sneer  that 
at  once  betrayed  he  was  no  friend.  "  You  mean  'em  for 
poor  folks,  Is'pose?" 

"  I  means  dem  for  any  bodies  dat  will  pay  deir  money 
for  'em,"  answered  my  uncle.  "  Vould  you  like  a  vatch  ?" 

"That  would  I;  and  a  farm,  too,  if  I  could  get  'em 
cheap,"  answered  Brigham,  with  a  sneer  he  did  not  attempt 
to  conceal.  "  How  do  you  sell  farms  to-day  1" 

"  I  haf  got  no  farms;  I  sells  drinkets  and  vatches,  but  I 
doesn't  sell  farms.  Vhat  I  haf  got  I  vill  sell,  but  I  cannot 
sells  vhat  I  haf  not  got." 

"  Oh  !  you  '11  get  all  you  want  if  you  '11  stay  long  enough 
in  this  country !  This  is  a  free  land,  and  just  the  place  for 
a  poor  man ;  or  it  will  be,  as  soon  as  we  get  all  the  lords 
and  aristocrats  out  of  it." 

This  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever  heard  this  political 
blarney  with  my  own  ears,  though  I  had  understood  it  was 
often  used  by  those  who  wish  to  give  to  their  own  particular 
envy  and  covetousness  a  grand  and  sounding  air. 

"  Veil,  I  haf  heards  dat  in  America  dere  might  not  be  any 
noples  ant  aristocrats,"  put  in  my  uncle,  with  an  appear- 
a  nee  of  beautiful  simplicity ;  "  and  dat  dere  ist  not  ein  graaf 
'n  der  whole  coontry." 
12* 


138  THE     REDSKINS. 

«*  Oli !  there 's  all  sorts  of  folks  here,  just  as  they  are  to 
be  found  elsewhere,"  cried  Miller,  seating  himself  coolly  on 
the  end  of  the  grindstone-frame,  to  open  and  look  into  tha 
mysteries  of  one  of  the  watches.  "  Now,  Josh  Brigharn, 
here,  calls  all  that 's  above  him  in  the  world  aristocrats,  but 
he  doesn't  call  all  that 's  below  him  his  equals." 

I  liked  that  speech;  and  I  liked  the  cool,  decided  way 
in  which  it  was  uttered.  It  denoted,  in  its  spirit,  a  man  who 
saw  things  as  they  are,  and  who  was  not  afraid  to  say  what 
he  thought  about  them.  My  uncle  Ro  was  surprised,  and 
that  agreeably,  too,  and  he  turned  to  Miller  to  pursue  the 
discourse. 

.     "  Den  dere  might  not  be  any  nopility  in  America,  after 
all  ?"  he  asked,  inquiringly. 

"  Yes,  there 's  plenty  of  such  lords  as  Josh  .here,  who 
want  to  be  uppermost  so  plaguily  that  they  don't  stop  to 
touch  all  the  rounds  of  the  ladder.  I  tell  him,  friend,  he 
jyants  to  get  on  too  fast,  and  that  he  mustn't  set  up  for  a 
gentleman  before  he  knows  how  to  behave  himself." 

Josh  looked  a  little  abashed  at  a  rebuke  that  came  from 
one  of  his  own  class,  and  which  he  must  have  felt,  in  se 
cret,  was  merited.  But  the  demon  was  at  work  in  him,  and 
he  had  persuaded  himself  that  he  was  the  champion  of  a 
quality  as  sacred  as  liberty,  when,  in  fact,  he  was  simply 
and  obviously  doing  neither  more  nor  less  than  breaking 
the  tenth  commandment.  He  did  not  like  to  give  up,  while 
he  skirmished  with  Miller,  as  the  dog  that  has  been  beaten 
already  two  or  three  times  growls  over  a  bone  at  the  ap 
proach  of  his  conqueror. 

"  Well,  thank  heaven,"  he  cried,  "  /  have  got  some  spirit 
in  my  body." 

•'That's  very  true,  Joshua,"  answered  Miller,  laying 
down  one  watch  and  taking  up  another ;  "  but  it  happens  to 
be  an  evil  spirit." 

"  Now,  here 's  them  Littlepages ;  what  makes  them  bet 
ter  than  other  folks  ?" 

"  You  had  better  let  the  Littlepages  alone,  Joshua,  seein' 
they  're  a  family  that  you  know  nothing  at  all  about." 

"  I  don't  want  to  know  them ;  though  I  do  happen  to 
know  all  I  want  to  know.  I  despise  'em." 


THE     REDSKINS, 


139 


"  No  you  don't,  Joshy,  my  boy ;  nobody  despises  folks 
ihey  talk  so  spitefully  about.  What 's  the  price  of  this  here 
watch,  friend?" 

"  Four  dollars,"  said  my  uncle,  eagerly,  falling  lower 
than  was  prudent,  in  his  desire  to  reward  Miller  for  his  good 
feeling  and  sound  sentiments.  "  Ja,  ja— you  might  haf  das 
vatch  for  four  dollars."  «. 

"  I  'rn  afraid  it  isn't  good  for  anything,"  returned  Miller, 
feeling  the  distrust  that  was  natural  at  hearing  a  price  so 
low.  "  Let 's  have  another  look  at  its  inside." 

No  man  probably,  ever  bought  a  watch  without  looking 
into  its  works  with  an  air  of  great  intelligence,  though  none 
but  a  mechanician  is  any  wiser  for  his  survey.  Tom  Miller 
acted  on  this  principle,  for  the  good  looks  of  the  machine 
he  held  in  his  hand,  and  the  four  dollars,  tempted  him  sorely 
It  had  its  effect,  too,  on  the  turbulent  and  envious  Joshua, 
who  seemed  to  understand  himself  very  well  in  a  bargain. 
Neither  of  the  men  had  supposed  the  watches  to  be  of  gold, 
for  though  the  metal  that  is  in  a  watch  does  not  amount  to 
a  great  deal,  it  is  usually  of  more  value  than  all  that  was 
asked  for  the  "  article"  now  under  examination.  In  point 
of  fact,  my  uncle  had  this  very  watch  "  invoiced  to  him"  at 
twice  the  price  he  now  put  it  at. 

"And  what  do  you  ask  for  this?"  demanded  Joshua, 
taking  up  another  watch  of  very  similar  looks  and  of  equal 
value  to  the  one  that  Miller  still  retained  open  in  his  hand. 
"  Won't  you  let  this  go  for  three  dollars  ?" 

"  No ;  der  brice  of  dat  is  efFery  cent  of  forty  dollars,"  an- 
swered  uncle  Ro,  stubbornly. 

"The  two  men  now  looked  at  the  pedlar  in  surprise. 
Miller  took  the  watch  from  his  hired  man,  examined  it  at 
tentively,  compared  it  with  the  other,  and  then  demanded 
its  price  anew. 

"  You  might  haf  eider  of  dem  vatches  for  four  dollars," 
returned  my  uncle,  as  I  thought,  incautiously. 

This  occasioned  a  new  surprise,  though  Brigham  fortu 
nately  referred  the  difference  to  a  mistake. 

"  Oh  !"  he  said,  "  I  understood  you  to  say  forty  dollars. 
Four  dollars  is  a  different  matter." 

"  Josh,"  interrupted  the  more  observant  and  cooler-headed 
Miller,  "  it  is  high  time,  now,  you  and  Peter  go  and  look 


140  THE     REDSKINS. 

a'ter  them  sheep.  The  conch  will  soon  be  blowing  for  din 
ner.  If  you  want  a  trade,  you  can  have  one  when  you  get 
back." 

Notwithstanding  the  plainness  of  his  appearance  and  lan 
guage,  Tom  Miller  was  captain  of  his  own  company.  He 
gave  this  order  quietly,  and  in  his  usual  familiar  way,  but 
it  was  obviously  to  be  obeyed  without  a  remonstrance.  In 
a  minute  the  two  hired  men  were  off  in  company,  leaving 
no  one  behind  in  the  barn  but  Miller,  his  sons,  and  us  two. 
I  could  see  there  was  a  motive  for  all  this,  but  did  not  un 
derstand  it. 

"  Now  he 's  gone,"  continued  Tom  quietly,  but  laying  an 
emphasis  that  sufficiently  explained  his  meaning,  "  perhaps 
you'll  let  me  know  the  true  price  of  this  watch.  I've  a 
mind  for  it,  and  may  be  we  can  agree." 

"  Four  dollars,"  answered  my  uncle,  distinctly.  "  I  haf 
said  you  might  haf  it  for  dat  money,  and  vhat  I  haf  said 
once  might  always  be." 

"  I  will  take  it,  then.  I  almost  wish  you  had  asked  eight, 
though  four  dollars  saved  is  suthin'  for  a  poor  man.  It 's 
so  plaguy  cheap  I  'm  a  little  afraid  on  't ;  but  I  '11  ventur'. 
There ;  there 's  your  money,  and  in  hard  cash." 

"  Dank  you,  sir.  Won't  das  ladies  choose  to  look  at  my 
drinkets  ?" 

"  Oh  !  if  you  want  to  deal  with  ladies  who  buy  chains 
and  rings,  the  Nest  House  is  the  place.  My  woman  wouldn't 
know  what  to  do  with  sich  things,  and  don't  set  herself  up 
for  a  fine  lady  at  all.  That  chap  who  has  just  gone  for  the 
sheep  is  the  only  great  man  we  have  about  this  farm." 

"  Ja,  ja ;  he  ist  a  nople  in  a  dirty  shirt :  ja,  ja ;  why  hast 
he  dem  pig  feelin's  ?" 

"  I  believe  you  have  named  them  just  as  they  ought  to 
be,  pig's  feelin's.  It 's  because  he  wishes  to  thrust  his  own 
snout  all  over  the  trough,  and  is  mad  when  he  finds  any 
body  else's  in  the  way.  We  're  getting  to  have  plenty  of 
such  fellows  up  and  down  the  country,  and  an  uncomforta 
ble  time  they  give  us.  Boys,  I  do  believe  it  will  turn  out 
a'ter  all,  that  Josh  is  an  Injin !" 

"  I  know  he  is,"  answered  the  oldest  of  the  two  sons,  a 
lad  of  nineteen ;  "  where  else  should  he  be  so  much  of 
nights  and  Sundays,  but  at  their  trainin's  ? — and  what  was 


THE     REDSKINS.  141 

the  meanin'  of  the  calico  bundle  I  saw  under  his  arm  a 
month  ago,  as  I  told  you  on  at  the  time?" 

"  If  I  find  it  out  to  be  as  you  say,  Harry,  he  shall  tramp 
off  of  this  farm.  I'll  have  no  Injins  here!" 

"  Veil  I  dought  I  dit  see  an  olt  Injin  in  a  hut  up  yonder 
ast  by  der  wools !"  put  in  my  uncle,  innocently. 

"  Oh  !  that  is  Susquesus,  an  Onondago ;  he  is  a  true  In 
jin,  and  a  gentleman ;  but  we  have  a  parcel  of  the  mock 
gentry  about,  who  are  a  pest  and  an  eye-sore  to  every  ho 
nest  man  in  the  country.  Half  on  'em  are  nothing  but 
thieves  in  mock  Injin  dresses.  The  law  is  ag'in  'em,  right 
is  ag'in  'em,  and  every  true  friend  of  liberty  in  the  country 
ought  to  be  ag'in  'em." 

"  Vhat  ist  der  matter  in  dis  coontry  ?  I  hear  in  Europe 
how  America  ist  a  free  lant,  ant  how  efery  man  hast  his 
rights ;  but  since  I  got  here  dey  do  nothin'  but  talk  of  ba 
rons,  and  noples,  and  tenants,  and  arisdograts,  and  all  der 
bat  dings  I  might  leaf  behint  me,  in  der  olt  worlt." 

"  The  plain  matter  is,  friend,  that  they  who  have  got  lie- 
tie,  envy  them  that '«  got  much ;  and  the  struggle  is  to  see 
which  is  the  strongest.  On  the  one  side  is  the  law,  and 
right,  and  bargains,  and  contracts ;  and  on  the  other  thou 
sands — not  of  dollars,  but  of  men.  Thousands  of  voters ; 
d'ye  understand?" 

"  Ja,  ja — I  oonderstands  ;  dat  ist  easy  enough.  But  vhy 
do  dey  dalk  so  much  of  noples  and  arisdograts  ?  —  ist  der 
noples  and  arisdograts  in  America  ?" 

"  Well,  I  don't  much  understand  the  natur'  of  sich  things  , 
there  sartainly  is  a  difference  in  men,  and  a  difference  in 
their  fortun's,  and  edications,  and  such  sort  of  things." 

"  Und  der  law,  den,  favours  der  rich  man  at  der  cost  of 
der  poor,  in  America,  too,  does  it  ?  Und  you  haf  arisdo 
grats  who  might  not  pay  taxes,  and  who  holt  all  der  offices, 
and  get  all  der  pooblic  money,  and  who  ist  petter  pefore  de 
law,  in  all  dings,  dan  ast  dem  dat  be  not  arisdograts  ?  Is 
it  so?" 

Miller  laughed  outright,  and  shook  his  head  at  this  ques 
tion,  continuing  to  examine  the  trinkets  the  whole  time. 

"  No,  no,  my  friend,  we've  not  much  of  that,  in  this  part 
of  the  world,  either.  Rich  men  get  very  few  offices,  to  be 
gin  with ;  for  it 's  an  argooment  in  favour  of  a  man  for  an 


142  THE    REDSKINS. 

office,  that  he  's  poor,  and  wants  it.  Folks  don't  so  much 
ask  who  the  office  wants,  as  who  wants  the  office.  Then, 
as  for  taxes,  there  isn't  much  respect  paid  to  the  rich,  on 
that  score.  Young  'Squire  Littlepage  pays  the  tax  on  thia 
farm  directly  himself,  and  it 's  assessed  half  as  high  ag'in, 
all  things  considered,  as  any  other  farm  on  his  estate." 

"  But  dat  ist  not  right." 

"  Right!  Who  says  it  is? — or  who  thinks  there  is  any 
thing  right  about  assessments,  anywhere?  I  have  heard 
assessors,  with  my  own  ears,  use  such  words  as  these  :  — - 
*  Sich  a  man  is  rich,  and  can  afford  to  pay,'  and  *  sich  a 
man  is  poor,  and  it  will  come  hard  on  him.'  Oh !  they 
kiver  up  dishonesty,  now-a-days,  under  all  sorts  of  argoo- 
ments." 

"  But  der  law ;  der  rich  might  haf  der  law  on  deir  side, 
surely  ?" 

"  In  what  way,  I  should  like  to  know?  Juries  be  every 
thing,  and  juries  will  go  accordin'  to  their  feelin's,  as  well 
as  other  men.  I  've  seen  the  things  with  my  own  eyes. 
The  county  pays  just  enough  a-day  to  make  poor  men  like  to 
be  on  juries,  and  they  never  fail  to  attend,  while  them  that 
can  pay  their  fines  stay  away,  and  so  leave  the  law  pretty 
much  in  the  hands  of  one  party.  No  rich  man  gains  his 
cause,  unless  his  case  is  so  strong  it  can't  be  helped." 

I  had  heard  this  before,  there  being  a  very  general  com 
plaint  throughout  the  country  of  the  practical  abuses  con 
nected  with  the  jury  system.  I  have  heard  intelligent  law 
yers  complain,  that  'whenever  a  cause  of  any  interest  is 
to  be  tried,  the  first  question  asked  is  not  "  what  are  the 
merits?"  "which  has  the  law  and  the  facts  on  his  side?" 
but  "who  is  likely  to  be  on  the  jury?"  —  thus  obviously 
placing  the  composition  of  the  jury  before  either  law  or  evi 
dence.  Systems  may  have  a  very  fair  appearance  on  paper 
and  as  theories,  that  are  execrable  in  practice.  As  for  ju 
ries,  I  believe  the  better  opinion  of  the  intelligent  of  all  coun 
tries  is,  that  while  they  are  a  capital  contrivance  to  resist 
the  abuse  of  power  in  narrow  governments,  in  governments 
of  a  broad  constituency  they  have  the  effect,  which  might 
easily  be  seen,  of  placing  the  control  of  the  law  in  the 
hnnds  of  those  who  would  be  most  apt  to  abuse  it ;  since  it 
is  adding  to,  instead  of  withstanding  and  resisting  the  con- 


THE     REDSKINS.  143 

trolling  authority  of  the  State,  from  which,  in  a  popular  go- 
vernment,  most  of  the  abuses  must  unavoidably  proceed. 

As  for  my  uncle  Ro,  he  was  disposed  to  pursue  the  sub 
ject  with  Miller,  who  turned  out  to  be  a  discreet  and  con 
scientious  rnan.  After  a  very  short  pause,  as  if  to  reflect 
on  what  had  been  said,  he  resumed  the  discourse. 

"  Vhat,  den,  makes  arisdograts  in  dis  coontry?"  asked 
my  uncle. 

"  Wa-a-l" — no  man  but  an  American  of  New  England 
descent,  as  was  the  case  with  Miller,  can  give  this  word  its 
attic  sound — "Wa-a-1,  it's  hard  to  say.  I  hear  a  great 
deal  about  aristocrats,  and  I  read  a  great  deal  about  aristo 
crats,  in  this  country,  and  I  know  that  most  folks  look  upon 
them  as  hateful,  but  I'rrrby  no  means  sartain  I  know  what 
an  aristocrat  is.  Do  you  happen  to  know  anything  about 
<t,  friend?" 

"  Ja,  ja ;  an  arisdograt  ist  one  of  a  few  men  dat  hast  all 
de  power  of  de  government  in  deir  own  hands." 

"  King !  That  isn't  what  we  think  an  aristocrat  in  this 
part  of  the  world.  Why,  we  call  them  critturs  here  DIMI- 
GOGUES  !  Now,  young  'Squire  Littlepage,  who  owns  the 
Nest  House,  over  yonder,  and  who  is  owner  of  all  this 
estate,  far  and  near,  is  what  we  call  an  aristocrat,  and  he 
hasn't  power  enough  to  be  named  town  clerk,  much  less  to 
anything  considerable,  or  what  is  worth  having." 

"  How  can  he  be  an  arisdograt,  den  ?" 

"  How,  sure  enough,  if  your  account  be  true  !  I  tell  you 
'tis  the  dimigogues  that  be  the  aristocrats  of  America.  Why, 
Josh  Brigham,  who  has  just  gone  for  the  sheep,  can  get 
more  votes  for  any  office  in  the  country  than  young  Little- 
page  !" 

"  Berhaps  dis  young  Littlebage  ist  a  pat  yoong  man  ?" 

"Not  he;  he's  as  good  as  any  on  'em,  and  better  than 
most.  Besides,  if  he  was  as  wicked  as  Lucifer,  the  folks 
of  the  country  don't  know  anything  about  it,  sin'  he 's  be'n 
away  ever  sin'  he  has  be'n  a  man." 

"  Vhy,  den,  gan't  he  haf  as  many  votes  as  dat  poor,  ig 
norant  fellow  might  haf?  —  das  ist  ott." 

"  It  is  odd,  but  it 's  true  as  gospel.  Why,  it  may  not  be 
BO  easy  to  tell.  Many  men,  many  minds,  you  know.  Somo 
folks  don't  like  him  because  he  lives  in  a  big  house ;  some 


44  THE     REDSKINS. 

hate  him  because  they  think  he  is  better  off  than  they  are 
themselves ;  others  mistrust  him  because  he  wears  a  fine 
coat ;  and  some  pretend  to  laugh  at  him  because  he  got  his 
property  from  his  father,  and  grand'ther,  and  so  on,  and 
didn't  make  it  himself.  Accordin'  to  some  folks'  notions, 
now-a-days,  a  man  ought  to  enj'y  only  the  property  he 
heaps  together  himself." 

'*  If  dis  be  so,  your  Herr  Littlebage  ist  no  arisdograt." 

"  Wa-a-1,  that  isn't  the  idee,  hereaway.  We  have  had  a 
great  many  meetin's,  latterly,  about  the  right  of  the  people 
to  their  farms ;  and  there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  talk  at 
them  meetin's  consarnin'  aristocracy  and  feudal  tenors ;  do 
you  know  what  a  feudal  tenor  is,  too?" 

"  Ja ;  dere  ist  moch  of  dat  in  Teutchland — in  mine  coon- 
try.  It  ist  not  ferry  easy  to  explain  it  in  a  few  vords,  but 
der  brincipal  ding  ist  dat  der  vassal  owes  a  serfice  to  hist 
lorl.  In  de  olten  dimes  dis  serfice  vast  military,  und  dere 
ist  someding  of  dat  now.  It  ist  de  noples  who  owe  der  feu 
dal  serfice,  brincipally,  in  mine  coontry,  and  dey  owes  it  tc 
de  kings  und  brinces." 

"  And  don't  you  call  giving  a  chicken  for  rent  feudal  ser 
vice,  in  Germany  ?" 

Uncle  Ro  and  I  laughed,  in  spite  of  our  efforts  to  the  con 
trary,  there  being  a  bathos  in  this  question  that  was  su 
premely  ridiculous.  Curbing  his  merriment,  however,  a? 
soon  as  he  could,  my  uncle  answered  the  question. 

"  If  der  landlord!  hast  a  right  to  coome  and  dake  as  man) 
cnickens  as  he  bleases,  und  ast  often  ast  he  bleases,  den  daf 
wouldt  look  like  a  feudal  right ;  but  if  de  lease  says  dat  sc 
many  chickens  moost  be  paid  a-year,  for  der  rent,  vhy  daf 
ist  all  der  same  as  baying  so  much  moneys  ;  und  it  might 
be  easier  for  der  tenant  to  bay  in  chicken  ast  it  might  be  to 
bay  in  der  silver.  Vhen  a  man  canst  bay  his  debts  in  vhat 
he  makes  himself,  he  ist  ferry  interpentent." 

"  It  does  seem  so,  I  vow  !  Yet  there  's  folks  about  here 
and  some  at  Albany,  that  call  it  feudal  for  a  man  to  have 
to  carry  a  pair  of  fowls  to  the  landlord's  office,  and  the  land 
lord  an  aristocrat  for  asking  it !" 

"  But  der  man  canst  sent  a  poy,  or  a  gal,  or  a  nigger 
wid  his  fowls,  if  he  bleases?" 

*'  Sartain  ;  all  that  is  asked  is  that  the  fowls  should  come. 


THE     REDSKINS.  145 

'•Und  vhen  der  batroon  might  owe  hist  tailor,  or  hist 
enoemaker,  must  he  not  go  to  hist  shop,  or  find  him  and 
bay  him  vhat  he  owes,  or  be  suet  for  de^  debt  ?" 

"  That's  true,  too;  boys,  put  me  in  mmd  of  telling  that 
to  Josh,  this  evening.  Yes,  the  greatest  landlord  in  the 
land  must  hunt  up  his  creditor,  or  be  sued,  all  the  same  as 
the  lowest  tenant." 

"  Und  he  most  bay  in  a  particular  ding ;  he  most  bay  in 
gc»lt  or  silver  ?" 

"True;  lawful  tender  is  as  good  for  one  as  'tis  for 
t'  other." 

"  Und  if  your  Herr  Littlebage  signs  a  baper  agreein'  to 
gif  der  apples  from  dat  orchart  to  somebody  on  his  landts, 
most  he  send  or  carry  der  apples,  too  ?" 

"  To  be  sure ;  that  would  be  the  bargain." 

"  Und  he  most  carry  der  ferry  apples  dat  grows  on  dem 
ferry  drees,  might  it  not  be  so  ?" 

"  All  true  as  gospel.  If  a  man  contracts  to  sell  the  ap 
ples  of  one  orchard,  he  can't  put  off  the  purchaser  with  the 
apples  of  another." 

"  Und  der  law  ist  der  same  for  one  ast  for  anudder,  in 
dese  t'ings  ?" 

"  There  is  no  difference ;  and  there  should  be  none." 

"  Und  der  batroons  und  der  landlordts  wants  to  haf  der 
law  changet,  so  dat  dey  may  be  excuset  from  baying  der 
debts  accordin'  to  der  bargains,  und  to  gif  dem  atfantages 
over  der  poor  tenants  ?" 

"  I  never  heard  anything  of  the  sort,  and  don't  believe 
they  want  any  such  change." 

"  Of  vhat,  den,  dost  der  beople  complain  ?" 

"  Of  having  to  pay  rent  at  all ;  they  think  the  landlords 
ought  to  be  made  to  sell  their  farms,  or  give  them  away. 
Some  stand  out  for  the  last." 

"  But  der  landlordts  don't  vant  to  sell  deir  farms  ;  und  dey 
might  not  be  made  to  sell  vhat  ist  deir  own,  and  vhat  dey 
don't  vant  to  sell,  any  more  dan  der  tenants  might  be  made 
to  sell  deir  hogs  and  deir  sheep,  vhen  dey  don't  vant  to  sell 
dem." 

"  It  does  seem  so,  boys,  as  I've  told  the  neighbours,  all 
along.  But  I  Ml  tell  this  Dutchman  all  about  it.  Some  folki 
13 


140  THE     REDSKINS. 

want  the  State  to  look  a'ter  the  title  of  young  Littlepage^ 
pretending  he  has  no  title." 

"  But  der  State  wilt  do  dat  widout  asking  for  it  particu 
larly,  vill  it  not?" 

"  I  never  heard  that  it  would." 

u  If  anybody  hast  a  claim  to  der  broperty,  vilt  not  der 
courts  try  it?" 

"  Yes,  yes — in  that  way ;  but  a  tenant  can't  set  up  a  title 
ag'in  his  landlord." 

"  Vhy  should  he  ?  He  canst  haf  no  title  but  his  landlords, 
and  it  vould  be  roguery  and  cheatery  to  let  a  man  get  into 
der  bossession  of  a  farm  under  der  pretence  of  hiring  it,  und 
den  coome  out  und  claim  it  as  owner.  If  any  tenant  dinks 
he  hast  a  better  right  dan  his  landlort,  he  can  put  der  farm 
vhere  it  vast  before  he  might  be  a  tenant,  und  den  der  State 
wilt  examine  into  der  title,  I  fancys." 

"  Yes,  yes — in  that  way  ;  but  these  men  want  it  another 
way.  What  they  want  is  for  the  State  to  set  up  a  legal  ex 
amination,  and  turn  the  landlords  off  altogether,  if  they  can, 
and  then  let  themselves  have  the  farms  in  their  stead." 

"  But  dat  would  not  be  honest  to  dem  dat  hafen't  nothing 
to  do  wid  der  farms.  If  der  State  owns  der  farms,  it  ought 
to  get  as  moch  as  it  can  for  dem,  and  so  safe  all  der  people 
from  baying  taxes.  It  looks  like  roguery,  all  roundt.' 

"  I  believe  it  is  that,  and  nothing  else  !  As  you  say,  the 
State  wilt  examine  into  the  title  as  it  is,  and  there  is  no  need 
of  any  laws  about  it." 

««  Would  der  State,  dink  you,  pass  a  law  dat  might  inquire 
into  de  demandts  dat  are  made  against  der  batroons,  vhen 
der  tratesmen  sent  in  deir  bills  ?" 

"  I  should  like  to  see  any  patroon  ask  sich  a  thing !  He 
would  be  laughed  at,  from  York  to  Buffalo." 

"Und  he  would  desarf  it.  By  vhat  I  see,  frient,  your 
denants  be  der  arisdograts,  und  der  landlordts  der  vassals." 

"  Why  you  see  —  what  may  your  name  be?  —  as  we're 
likely  to  become  acquainted,  I  should  like  to  know  your 
name. 

"  My  name  is  Greisenbach,  und  I  comes  from  Preussen." 

*'  Well,  Mr.  Greisenbach,  the  difficulty  about  aristocracy 
:B  this.  Hugh  Littlepage  is  rich,  and  his  money  gives  him 


THE     REDSKINS.  147 

advantages  that  other  men  can't  enj'y.     Now,  that  sticks 
in  some  folks'  crops." 

"  Oh  !  den  it  ist  meant  to  divite  broperty  in  dis  coontry  ; 
und  to  say  no  man  might  haf  more  ast  anudder?" 

"  Folks  don't  go  quite  as  far  as  that,  yet ;  though  some 
of  their  talk  does  squint  that-a-way,  I  must  own.  Now, 
there  are  folks  about  here  that  complain  that  old  Madam 
Littlepage  and  her  young  ladies  don't  visit  the  poor." 

"Veil,  if  deys  be  hard-hearted,  und  hast  no  feelin's  for 
der  poor  and  miseraple " 

"  No,  no ;  that  is  not  what  I  mean,  neither.  As  for  that 
sort  of  poor,  everybody  allows  they  do  more  for  them  than 
anybody  else  about  here.  But  they  don't  visit  the  poor  that 
isn't  in  want." 

"  Veil,  it  ist  a  ferry  coomfortable  sort  of  poor  dat  ist  not 
in  any  vant.  Berhaps  you  mean  dey  don't  associate  wid 
'em,  as  equals?" 

"  That 's  it.  Now,  on  that  head,  I  must  say  there  is 
some  truth  in  the  charge,  for  the  gals  over  at  the  Nest  never 
come  here  to  visit  my  gal,  and  Kitty  is  as  nice  a  young 
thing  as  there  is  about." 

"  Und  Gitty  goes  to  visit  the  gal  of  the  man  who  lives 
over  yonter,  in  de  house  on  der  hill  ?"  pointing  to  a  resi 
dence  of  a  man  of  the  very  humblest  class  in  the  town. 

"  Hardly  !  Kitty  's  by  no  means  proud,  but  I  shouldn't 
like  her  to  be  too  thick  there." 

"  Oh !  you  're  an  arisdograt,  den,  after  all ;  else  might 
your  daughter  visit  dat  man's  daughter." 

"  I  tell  you,  Grunzebach,  or  whatever  your  name  may 
be,"  returned  Miller,  a  little  angrily,  though  a  particularly 
good-natured  man  in  the  main,  "  that  my  gal  shall  not  visit 
old  Steven's  da'ghters."  - 

"  Veil,  I  'm  sure  she  might  do  as  she  bleases ;  but  I  dinks 
der  Mademoiselles  Littlepage  might  do  ast  dey  pleases,  too." 

"  There  is  but  one  Littlepage  gal ;  if  you  saw  them  out 
this  morning  in  the  carriage,  you  saw  two  York  gais  and 
parson  Warren's  da'ghter  with  her." 

"  Und  dis  parson  Warren  might  be  rich,  too  ?" 

"  Not  he ;  he  hasn't  a  sixpence  on  'arth  but  what  he  gets 
from  the  parish.  Why  he  is  so  poor  his  friends  had  to  edi« 
sate  his  da'ghter,  I  have  heern  say,  over  and  over !" 


148  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Und  das  Littlepage  gal  und  de  Warren  gal  might  bo 
goot  friends  ?" 

"  They  are  the  thickest  together  of  any  two  young  wo 
men  in  this  part  of  the  world.  I  've  never  seen  two  gals 
more  intimate.  Now,  there 's  a  young  lady  in  the  town, 
one  Opportunity  Newcome,  who,  one  might  think,  would 
stand  before  Mary  Warren  at  the  big  house,  any  day  in  the 
week,  but  she  doesn't !  Mary  takes  all  the  shine  out  on 
her." 

"  Which  ist  der  richest,  Obbordunity  or  Mary  ?" 

"  By  all  accounts  Mary  Warren  has  nothing,  while  Op- 
portunity  is  thought  to  come  next  to  Matty  herself,  as  to 
property,  of  all  the  young  gals  about  here.  But  Opportu 
nity  is  no  favourite  at  the  Nest." 

"  Den  it  would  seem,  after  all,  dat  dis  Miss  Littlebage  does 
not  choose  her  friends  on  account  of  riches.  She  likes  Mary 
Warren,  who  ist  boor,  und  she  does  not  like  Obbordunity, 
who  ist  veil  to  do  in  de  vorlt.  Berhaps  der  Littlepages  be 
rot  as  big  arisdograts  as  you  supposes." 

Miller  was  bothered,  while  I  felt  a  disposition  to  laugh. 
One  of  the  commonest  errors  of  those  who,  from  position 
and  habite,  are  unable  to  appreciate  the  links  which  connect 
cultivated  society  together,  is  to  refer  everything  to  riches. 
Riches,  in  a  certain  sense,  as  a  means  and  through  their 
consequences,  may  be  a  principal  agent  in  dividing°society 
into  classes ;  but,  long  after  riches  have  taken  wings,  their 
fruits  remain,  when  good  use  has  been  made  of  their  pre 
sence.  So  untrue  is  the  vulgar  opinion — or  it  might  be  bet 
ter  to  say  the  opinion  of  the  vulgar— that  money  is  the  one 
tie  which  unites  polished  society,  that  it  is  a  fact  which  all 
must  know  who  have  access  to  the  better  circles  of  even  our 
own  commercial  towns,  that  those  circles,  loosely  and  acci 
dentally  constructed  as  they  are,  receive  with  reluctance, 
nay,  often  sternly  exclude,  vulgar  wealth  from  iheir  associa 
tions,  while  the  door  is  open  to  the  cultivated  <vr_D  have  no- 
thingr.  The  young,  in  particular,  seldom  think  much  of 
money,  while  family  connections,  early  communications, 
similarity  of  opinions,  and,  most  of  all,  of  tastes,  bring  sets 
together,  and  often  keep  them  together  long  after  the  golden 
band  has  been  broken. 

But  men  have  great  difficulty  in  comprehending  things 


THE     REDSKINS.  149 

that  lie  beyond  their  reach  ;  and  money  being  apparent  to 
the  senses,  while  refinement,  through  its  infinite  gradations, 
is  visible  principally,  and,  in  some  cases,  exclusively  to  its 
possessors,  it  is  not  surprising  that  common  minds  should 
refer  a  tie  that,  to  them,  would  otherwise  be  mysterious,  to 
the  more  glittering  influence,  and  not  to  the  less  obvious. 
Infinite,  indeed,  are  the  gradations  of  cultivated  habits;  nor 
are  as  many  of  them  the  fruits  of  caprice  and  self-indulgence 
as  men  usually  suppose.  There  is  a  common  sense,  nay, 
a  certain  degree  of  wisdom,  in  the  laws  of  even  etiquette, 
while  they  are  confined  to  equals,  that  bespeak  the  respect 
of  those  who  understand  them.  As  for  the  influence  of  as 
sociations  on  men's  manners,  on  their  exteriors,  and  even 
on  their  opinions,  my  uncle  Ro  has  long  maintained  that  it 
is  so  apparent  that  one  of  his  time  of  life  could  detect  the 
man  of  the  world,  at  such  a  place  as  Saratoga  even,  by  an 
intercourse  of  five  minutes ;  and  what  is  more,  that  he  could 
tell  the  class  in  life  from  which  he  originally  emerged.  He 
tried  it,  the  last  summer,  on  our  return  from  Ravensnest, 
and  I  was  amused  with  his  success,  though  he  made  a  few 
mistakes,  it  must  be  admitted. 

"  That  young  man  comes  from  the  better  circles,  but  he 
has  never  travelled,"  he  said,  alluding  to  one  of  a  group 
which  still  remained  at  table;  "while  he  who  is  next  "him 
has  travelled,  but  commenced  badly."  This  may  seem  a 
very  nice  distinction,  but  I  think  it  is  easily  made.  "  There 
are  two  brothers,  of  an  excellent  family  in  Pennsylvania," 
he  continued,  "  as  one  might  know  from  the  name ;  the 
eldest  has  travelled,  the  youngest  has  not."  This  was  a 
still  harder  distinction  to  make,  but  one  who  knew  the  world 
as  well  as  my  uncle  Ro  could  do  it.  He  went  on  amusing 
me  by  his  decisions — all  of  which  were  respectable,  and  some 
surprisingly  accurate — in  this  way  for  several  minutes.  Now, 
like  has  an  affinity  to  like,  and  in  this  natural  attraction  is 
to  be  found  the  secret  of  the  ordinary  construction  of  soci 
ety.  You  shall  put  two  men  of  superior  minds  in  a  room 
full  of  company,  and  they  will  find  each  other  out  directly, 
and  enjoy  the  accident.  The  same  is  true  as  to  the  mere 
modes  of  thinking  that  characterize  social  castes ;  and  it  is 
truer  in  this  country,  perhaps,  than  most  others,  from  the 
mixed  character  of  our  associations.  Of  the  two,  I  am  really 
13* 


150  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  opinion  that  the  man  of  high  intellect,  who  meets  with 
one  of  moderate  capacity,  but  of  manners  and  social  opinions 
on  a  level  with  his  own,  has  more  pleasure  in  the  commu 
nication  than  with  one  of  equal  mind,  but  of  inferior  habits. 

That  Patt  should  cling  to  one  like  Mary  Warren  seemed 
to  me  quite  as  natural  as  that  she  should  be  averse  to  much 
association  vvith  Opportunity  Newcome.  The  money  of  the 
latter,  had  my  sister  been  in  the  least  liable  to  such  an  in 
fluence,  was  so  much  below  what  she  had  been  accustomed, 
all  her  life,  to  consider  afiluence,  that  it  would  have  had  no 
effect,  even  had  she  been  subject  to  so  low  a  consideration 
in  regulating  her  intercourse  with  others.  But  this  poor 
Tom  Miller  could  not  understand.  He  could  "  only  reason 
from  what  he  knew,"  and  he  knew  little  of  the  comparative 
notions  of  wealth,  and  less  of  the  powers  of  cultivation  on 
the  mind  and  manners.  He  was  struck,  however,  with  a 
fact  that  did  come  completely  within  the  circle  of  his  own 
knowledge,  and  that  was  the  circumstance  that  Mary  War 
ren,  while  admitted  to  be  poor,  was  the  bosom  friend  of  her 
whom  he  was  pleased  to  call,  sometimes,  the  "  Littlepage 
gal."  It  was  easy  to  see  he  felt  the  force  of  this  circum 
stance  ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that,  as  he  was  certainly  a 
wiser,  he  also  became  a  better  man,  on  one  of  the  most 
common  of  the  weaknesses  of  human  frailty. 

"  Wa-a-1,"  he  replied  to  my  uncle's  last  remark,  after 
fully  a  minute  of  silent  reflection,  "  I  don't  know  !  It  would 
seem  so,  I  vow  ;  and  yet  it  hasn't  been  my  wife's  notion, 
nor  is  it  Kitty's.  You  're  quite  upsetting  my  idees  about 
aristocrats  ;  for  though  I  like  the  Littlepages,  I  've  always 
set  'em  down  as  desp'rate  aristocrats." 

"  Nein,  nein  ;  dem  as  vat  you  calls  dimigogues  be  der 
American  arisdograts.  Dey  gets  all  der  money  of  der  poob- 
lic,  und  haf  all  der  power,  but  dey  gets  a  little  mads  because 
dey  might  not  force  demselves  on  der  gentlemen  and  laties 
of  der  coontry,  as  veil  as  on  der  lands  und  der  offices  !" 

"  I  swan  !  I  don't  know  but  this  may  be  true  !  A'ter  all, 
I  don't  know  what  right  anybody  has  to  complain  of  the 
Littlepages." 

"  Does  dey  dreat  beoples  veil,  as  might  coome  to  see 
dem?" 

"  Yes,  indeed !    if  folks  treat  them  well,  as  sometimes 


THE     REDSKINS.  151 

doesn't  happen.  I  've  seen  hogs  here" — Tom  was  a  little 
Saxon  in  his  figures,  but  their  nature  will  prove  their  justi 
fication — "  I  Ve  seen  hogs  about  here,  bolt  right  in  before 
old  Madam  Littlepage,  and  draw  their  chairs  up  to  her  fire, 
and  squirt  about  the  tobacc®,  and  never  think  of  even  taking 
off  their  hats.  Them  folks  be  always  huffy  about  their  own 
importance,  though  they  never  think  of  other  people's 
feelin's." 

We  were  interrupted  by  the  sound  of  wheels,  and  look- 
ing  round,  we  perceived  that  the  carriage  of  my  grandmo 
ther  had  driven  up  to  the  farm-house  door,  on  its  return 
home.  Miller  conceived  it  to  be  no  more  than  proper  to  go 
and  see  if  he  were  wanted,  and  we  followed  him  slowly,  it 
being  the  intention  of  my  uncle  to  offer  his  mother  a  watch, 
by  way  of  ascertaining  if  she  could  penetrate  his  disguise. 


CHAPTER  X. 

*  Will  you  buy  any  tape, 
Or  laco  for  your  cape  1  — 
Come  to  the  pedlar, 
Money's  a  medler 
That  doth  utter  all  men's  ware-a." 

Winter's  Tale. 

THERE  they  sat,  those  four  young  creatures,  a  perfect 
galaxy  of  bright  and  beaming  eyes.  There  was  not  a  plain 
face  among  them ;  and  I  was  struck  with  the  circumstance 
of  how  rare  it  was  to  meet  with  a  youthful  and  positively 
ugly  American  female.  Kitty,  too,  was  at  the  door  by  the 
time  we  reached  the  carriage,  and  she  also  was  a  blooming 
and  attractive-looking  girl.  It  was  a  thousand  pities  that 
she  spoke,  however ;  the  vulgarity  of  her  utterance,  tone 
of  voice,  cadences,  and  accent,  the  latter  a  sort  of  singing 
whine,  being  in  striking  contrast  to  a  sort  of  healthful  and 
vigorous  delicacy  that  marked  her  appearance.  All  the 


152  THE     REDSKINS. 

bright  eyes  grew  brighter  as  I  drew  nearer,  carrying  the 
flute  in  my  hand ;  but  neither  of  the  young  ladies  spoke. 

"  Buy  a  vatch,  ma'ams,"  said  uncle  Ro,  approaching  his 
mother,  cap  in  hand,  with  his  box  open. 

"  I  thank  you,  friend  ;  but  I  believe  all  here  are  provided 
with  watches  already." 

"  Mine  1st  ferry  sheaps." 

"  I  dare  say  they  may  be,"  returned  dear  grandmother, 
smiling ;  "  though  cheap  watches  are  not  usually  the  best. 
Is  that  very  pretty  pencil  gold  ?" 

"  Yes,  ma'ams ;  it  ist  of  goot  gold.  If  it  might  not  bey  ! 
might  not  say  so." 

I  saw  suppressed  smiles  among  the  girls ;  all  of  whom, 
however,  were  too  well-bred  to  betray  to  common  observers 
the  sense  of  the  ridiculous  that  each  felt  at  the  equivoque 
that  suggested  itself  in  my  uncle's  words. 

"  What  is  the  price  of  this  pencil,"  asked  my  grandmo 
ther. 

Uncle  Roger  had  too  much  tact  to  think  of  inducing  his 
mother  to  make  a  purchase  as  he  had  influenced  Miller,  and 
he  mentioned  something  near  the  true  value  of  the  "  article," 
which  was  fifteen  dollars. 

"I  will  take  it,"  returned  my  grandmother,  dropping 
three  half  eagles  into  the  box  ;  when,  turning  to  Mary  War 
ren,  she  begged  her  acceptance  of  the  pencil,  with  as  much 
respect  in  her  manner  as  if  she  solicited  instead  of  conferred 
a  favour. 

Mary  Warren's  handsome  face  was  covered  with  blushes  ; 
she  looked  pleased,  and  she  accepted  the  offering,  though  I 
thought  she  hesitated  one  moment  about  the  propriety  o-f  so 
doing,  most  probably  on  account  of  its  value.  My  sister 
asked  to  look  at  this  little  present,  and  after  admiring  it,  it 
passed  from  hand  to  hand,  each  praising  its  shape  and  orna 
ments.  All  my  uncle's  wares,  indeed,  were  in  perfect  good 
taste,  the  purchase  having  been  made  of  an  importer  of  cha 
racter,  and  paid  for  at  some  cost.  The  watches,  it  is  true, 
were,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  cheap,  as  were  most  of 
the  trinkets ;  but  my  uncle  had  about  his  person  a  watch, 
or  two,  and  some  fine  jewelry,  that  he  had  brought  from 
Europe  himself,  expressly  to  bestow  in  presents,  among 


THE     REDSKINS.  153 

which  had  been  the  pencil  in  question,  and  which  he  had 
dropped  into  the  box  but  a  moment  before  it  was  sold. 

"  Wa-a-1,  Madam  Littlepage,"  cried  Miller,  who  used  the 
familiarity  of  one  born  on  the  estate,  "  this  is  the  queerest 
watch-pedlar  I  've  met  with,  yet.  He  asks  fifteen  dollars 
for  that  pencil,  and  only  four  for  this  watch !"  showing  his 
own  purchase  as  he  concluded. 

My  grandmother  took  the  watch  in  her  hand,  and  exa 
mined  it  attentively. 

"  It  strikes  me  as  singularly  cheap !"  she  remarked, 
glancing  a  little  distrustfully,  as  I  fancied,  at  her  son,  as  if 
she  thought  he  might  be  selling  his  brushes  cheaper  than 
those  who  only  stole  the  materials,  because  he  stole  them 
ready  made.  "I  know  that  these  watches  are  made  for 
very  little  in  the  cheap  countries  of  Europe,  but  one  can 
hardly  see  how  this  machinery  was  put  together  for  so  small 
a  sum." 

"  I  has  'em,  matam,  at  all  brices,"  put  in  my  uncle. 

"  I  have  a  strong  desire  to  purchase  a  good  lady's  watch, 
but  should  a  little  fear  buying  of  any  but  a  known  and  regu 
lar  dealer." 

"  You  needn't  fear  us,  ma'am,"  I  ventured  to  say.  "  If 
we  might  sheat  anypodies,  we  shouldn't  sheat  so  goot  a 
laty." 

I  do  not  know  whether  my  voice  struck  Patt's  ear  plea 
santly,  or  a  wish  to  see  the  project  of  her  grandmother  car 
ried  out  at  once,  induced  my  sister  to  interfere ;  but  inter 
fere  she  did,  and  that  by  urging  her  aged  parent  to  put 
confidence  in  us.  Years  had  taught  my  grandmother  cau 
tion,  and  she  hesitated. 

"  But  all  these  watches  are  of  base  metal,  and  I  want  one 
of  good  gold  and  handsome  finish,"  observed  my  grand 
mother. 

My  uncle  immediately  produced  a  watch  that  he  had 
bought  of  Blondel,  in  Paris,  for  five  hundred  francs,  and 
which  was  a  beautiful  little  ornament  for  a  lady's  belt.  He 
gave  it  to  my  grandmother,  who  read  the  name  of  the  manu 
facturer  with  some  little  surprise.  The  watch  itself  was 
then  examined  attentively,  and  was  applauded  by  all. 

"  And  what  may  be  the  price  of  this  ?"  demanded  my 
grandmother. 


154  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  One  hoondred  dollars,  matam ;  and  sheaps  at  dat." 

Tom  Miller  looked  at  the  bit  of  tinsel  in  his  own  hand, 
and  at  the  smaller,  but  exquisitely-shaped  "  article"  that  my 
grandmother  held  up  to  look  at,  suspended  by  its  bit  of  rib 
bon,  and  was  quite  as  much  puzzled  as  he  had  evidently 
been  a  little  while  before,  in  his  distinctions  between  the 
rich  and  the  poor.  Tom  was  not  able  to  distinguish  the 
base  from  the  true ;  that  was  all. 

My  grandmother  did  not  appear  at  all  alarmed  at  the 
price,  though  she  cast  another  distrustful  glance  or  two,  over 
her  spectacles,  at  the  imaginary  pedlar.  At  length  the  beauty 
of  the  watch  overcame  her. 

"  If  you  will  bring  this  watch  to  yonder  large  dwelling,  I 
will  pay  you  the  hundred  dollars  for  it,"  she  said  ;  "  I  have 
not  as  much  money  with  me  here." 

ti  ja?  ja — ferry  goot ;  you  might  keep  das  vatch,  laty,  und 
I  will  coome  for  der  money  after  I  haf  got  some  dinners  of 
somebodys." 

My  grandmother  had  no  scruple  about  accepting  of  the 
credit,  of  course,  and  she  was  about  to  put  the  watch  in  her 
pocket,  when  Patt  laid  her  little  gloved  hand  on  it,  and  cried — 

"  Now,  dearest  grandmother,  let  it  be  done  at  once  — 
there  is  no  one  but  us  three  present,  you  know !" 

"  Such  is  the  impatience  of  a  child  !"  exclaimed  the  elder 
lady,  laughing.  "Well,  you  shall  be  indulged.  I  gave 
you  that  pencil  for  a  keep-sake,  Mary,  only  en  attendant, 
it  having  been  my  intention  to  offer  a  watch,  as  soon  as  a 
suitable  one  could  be  found,  as  a  memorial  of  the  sense  I 
entertain  of  the  spirit  you  showed  during  that  dark  week  in 
which  the  anti-renters  were  so  menacing.  Here,  then,  is 
such  a  watch  as  I  might  presume  to  ask  you  to  have  the 
goodness  to  accept." 

Mary  Warren  seemed  astounded !  The  colour  mounted 
to  her  temples;  then  she  became  suddenly  pale.  I  had 
never  seen  so  pretty  a  picture  of  gentle  female  distress  —  a 
distress  that  arose  from  conflicting,  but  creditable  feelings. 

"  Oh  !  Mrs.  Littlepage  !"  she  exclaimed,  after  looking  in 
astonishment  at  the  offering  for  a  moment,  and  in  silence. 
"  You  cannot  have  intended  that  beautiful  watch  for  me !" 

'*  For  you,  my  dear ;  the  beautiful  watch  is  not  a  whit 
too  good  for  my  beautiful  Maj*y." 


THE     REDSKINS.  155 

**  But,  dear,  dear  Mrs.  Littlepage,  it  is  altogether  too 
handsome  for  my  station  —  for  my  means." 

'*  A  lady  can  very  well  wear  such  a  watch  ;  and  you  are 
a  lady  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  so  you  need  have 
no  scruples  on  that  account.  As  for  the  means,  you  will 
not  misunderstand  me  if  I  remind  you  that  it  will  be 
bought  with  my  means,  and  there  can  be  no  extravagance < 
in  the  purchase." 

"But  we  are  so  poor,  and  that  watch  has  so  rich  an  ap 
pearance  !  It  scarcely  seems  right." 

"  I  respect  your  feelings  and  sentiments,  my  dear  girl, 
and  can  appreciate  them.  I  suppose  you  know  I  was  once 
as  poor,  nay,  much  poorer  than  you  are,  yourself." 

"  You,  Mrs.  Littlepage  !  No,  that  can  hardly  be.  You 
are  of  an  affluent  and  very  respectable  family,  I  know." 

"  It  is  quite  true,  nevertheless,  my  dear.  I  shall  not  af 
fect  extreme  humility,  and  deny  that  the  Malbones  did  and 
do  belong  to  the  gentry  of  the  land,  but  my  brother  and 
myself  were  once  so  much  reduced  as  to  toil  with  the  sur 
veyors,  in  the  woods,  quite  near  this  property.  We  had 
then  no  claim  superior  to  yours,  and  in  many  respects  were 
reduced  much  lower.  Besides,  the  daughter  of  an  educated 
and  well-connected  clergyman  has  claims  that,  in  a  worldly 
point  of  view  alone,  entitle  her  to  a  certain  consideration. 
You  will  do  me  the  favour  to  accept  my  offering?" 

"  Dear  Mrs.  Littlepage !  I  do  not  know  how  to  refuse 
you,  or  how  to  accept  so  rich  a  gift !  You  will  let  me  con 
sult  nay  father,  first  ?" 

"  That  will  be  no  more  than  proper,  my  dear,"  returned 
my  beloved  grandmother,  quietly  putting  the  watch  into  her 
own  pocket;  "Mr.  Warren,  luckily,  dines  with  us,  and  the 
matter  can  be  settled  before  we  sit  down  to  table." 

This  ended  the  discussion,  which  had  commenced  under 
an  impulse  of  feeling  that  left  us  all  its  auditors.  As  for 
my  uncle  and  myself,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  we 
were  delighted  with  the  little  scene.  The  benevolent  wish 
to  gratify,  on  the  one  side,  with  the  natural  scruples  on  the 
other,  about  receiving,  made  a  perfect  picture  for  our  con 
templation.  The  three  girls,  who  were  witnesses  of  what 
passed,  too  much  respected  Mary's  feelings  to  interfere, 
though  Patt  restrained  herself  with  difficulty.  As  to  Tom 


156  THE     REDSKINS. 

Miller  and  Kitty,  they  doubtless  wondered  why  "  Warren's 
gal"  was  such  a  fool  ns  to  hesitate  about  accepting  a  watch 
that  was  worth  a  hundred  dollars.  This  was  another  point 
they  did  not  understand. 

"  You  spoke  of  dinner,"  continued  my  grandmother,  look 
ing  at  my  uncle.  "  If  you  and  your  companion  will  follow 
^Is  to  the  house,  I  will  pay  you  for  the  watch,  and  order  you 
a  dinner  in  the  bargain." 

We  were  right  down  glad  to  accept  this  offer,  making  our 
bows  and  expressing  our  thanks,  as  the  carriage  whirled 
off.  We  remained  a  moment,  to  take  our  leave  of  Miller. 

"  When  you  've  got  through  at  the  Nest,"  said  that  semi- 
worthy  fellow,  "  give  us  another  call  here.  I  should  like 
my  woman  and  Kitty  to  have  a  look  at  your  finery,  before 
you  go  down  to  the  village  with  it." 

With  a  promise  to  return  to  the  farm-house,  we  proceeded 
on  our  way  to  the  building  which,  in  the  familiar  parlance 
of  the  country,  was  called  the  Nest,  or  the  Nest  House, 
from  Ravensnest,  ils  true  name,  and  which  Tom  Miller,  in 
his  country  dialect,  called  the  "  Neest."  The  distance  be 
tween  the  two  buildings  was  less  than  half  a  mile,  the 
grounds  of  the  family  residence  lyi»g  partly  between  them. 
Many  persons  would  have  called  the  extensive  lawns  which 
surrounded  my  paternal  abode  a  park,  but  it  never  bore  that 
name  with  us.  They  were  too  large  for  a  paddock,  and 
might  very  well  have  come  under  the  former  appellation; 
but,  as  deer,  or  animals  of  any  sort,  except  those  that  are 
domestic,  had  never  been  kept  within  it,  the  name  had  not 
been  used.  We  called  them  the  grounds  —  a  term  which 
applies  equally  to  large  and  small  enclosures  of  this  nature 
—  while  the  broad  expanse  of  verdure  which  lies  directly 
under  the  windows  goes  by  the  name  of  the  lawn.  Not 
withstanding  the  cheapness  of  land  among  us,  there  has 
been  very  little  progress  made  in  the  art  of  landscape  gar 
dening  ;  and  if  we  have  anything  like  park  scenery,  it  is 
far  more  owing  to  the  gifts  of  a  bountiful  nature  than  to  any 
of  the  suggestions  of  art.  Thanks  to  the  cultivated  taste  of 
Downing,  as  well  as  to  his  well-directed  labours,  this  re 
proach  is  likely  to  be  soon  removed,  and  country  life  will 
acquire  this  pleasure,  among  the  many  others  that  are  so 
peculiarly  its  own.  After  lying  for  more  than  twenty  years 


T  HE     REDSKINS. 


157 


—  a  stigma  on  the  national  taste  —  disfigured  by  ravines  or 
gullies,  and  otherwise  in  a  rude  and  discreditable  condition, 
the  grounds  of  the  White  House  have  been  brought  into  a 
condition  to  denote  that  they  are  the  property  of  a  civilized 
country.  The  Americans  are  as  apt  at  imitation  as  the 
Chinese,  with  a  far  greater  disposition  to  admit  of  change ; 
and  little  beyond  good  models  are  required  to  set  them  on 
the  right  track.  But  it  is  certain  that,  as  a  nation,  we  have 
yet  to  acquire  nearly  all  that  belongs  to  the  art  I  have  men 
tioned  that  lies  beyond  avenues  of  trees,  with  an  occasional 
tuft  of  shrubbery.  The  abundance  of  the  latter,  that  forms 
the  wilderness  of  sweets,  the  masses  of  flowers  that  spot  the 
surface  of  Europe,  the  beauty  of  curved  lines,  and  the  whole 
finesse  of  surprises,  reliefs,  back-grounds  and  vistas,  are 
things  so  little  known  among  us  as  to  be  almost  "  arisdo- 
gratic,"  as  my  uncle  Ro  would  call  the  word. 

Little  else  had  been  done  at  Ravensnest  than  to  profit  by 
the  native  growth  of  the  trees,  and  to  take  advantage  of  the 
favourable  circumstances  in  the  formation  of  the  grounds. 
Most  travellers  imagine  that  it  might  be  an  easy  thing  to 
lay  out  a  park  in  the  virgin  forest,  as  the  axe  might  spare 
the  thickets,  and  copses,  and  woods,  that  elsewhere  are  the 
fruits  of  time  and  planting.  This  is  all  a  mistake,  how 
ever,  as  the  rule ;  though  modified  exceptions  may  and  do 
exist.  The  tree  of  the  American  forest  shoots  upward  to 
ward  the  light,  growing  so  tall  and  slender  as  to  be  un 
sightly  ;  and  even  when  time  has  given  its  trunk  a  due  size, 
the  top  is  rarely  of  a  breadth  to  ornament  a  park  or  a  lawn, 
while  its  roots,  seeking  their  nourishment  in  the  rich  allu 
vium  formed  by  the  decayed  leaves  of  a  thousand  years,  lie 
too  near  the  surface  to  afford  sufficient  support  after  losing 
the  shelter  of  its  neighbours.  It  is  owing  to  reasons  like 
these  that  the  ornamental  grounds  of  an  American  country, 
house  have  usually  to  be  commenced  ab  origine,  and  that 
natural  causes  so  little  aid  in  finishing  them. 

My  predecessors  had  done  a  little  towards  assisting  na 
ture,  at  the  Nest,  and  what  was  of  almost  equal  importance, 
in  the  state  of  knowledge  on  this  subject  as  it  existed  in  the 
country  sixty  years  since,  they  had  done  little  to  mar  her 
efforts.  The  results  were,  that  the  grounds  of  Ravensnest 
possess  a  breadth  that  is  the  fruit  of  the  breadth  of  our  lands, 
14 


158  THE     REDSKINS. 

and  a  rural  beauty  which,  without  being  much  aided  by  art, 
was  still  attractive.  The  herbage  was  kept  short  by  sheep, 
of  which  one  thousand,  of  the  fine  wool,  were  feeding  on 
the  lawns,  along  the  slopes,  and  particularly  on  the  distant 
heights,  as  we  crossed  the  grounds  on  our  way  to  the  doors. 

The  Nest  House  was  a  respectable  New  York  country 
dwelling,  as  such  buildings  were  constructed  among  us  in 
the  last  quarter  of  the  past  century,  a  little  improved  and 
enlarged  by  the  second  and  third  generations  of  its  owners. 
The  material  was  of  stone,  the  low  cliff  on  which  it  stood 
supplying  enough  of  an  excellent  quality  ;  and  the  shape  of 
the  main  corps  de  batiment  as  near  a  square  as  might  be. 
Each  face  of  this  part  of  the  constructions  offered  five  win 
dows  to  view,  this  being  almost  the  prescribed  number  for 
a  country  residence  in  that  day,  as  three  have  since  got  to 
be  in  towns.  These  windows,  however,  had  some  size,  the 
main  building  being  just  sixty  feet  square,  which  was  about 
ten  feet  in  each  direction  larger  than  was  common  so  soon 
after  the  revolution.  But  wings  had  been  added  to  the  ori 
ginal  building,  and  that  on  a  plan  which  conformed  to  the 
shape  of  a  structure  in  square  logs,  that  had  been  its  prede 
cessor  on  its  immediate  site.  These  wings  were  only  of  a 
story  and  a  half  each,  and  doubling  on  each  side  of  the  main 
edifice  just  far  enough  to  form  a  sufficient  communication, 
they  ran  back  to  the  very  verge  of  a  cliff  some  forty  feet  in 
height,  overlooking,  at  their  respective  ends,  a  meandering 
rivulet,  and  a  wide  expanse  of  very  productive  flats,  that 
annually  filled  my  barns  with  hay  and  my  cribs  with  corn. 
Of  this  level  and  fertile  bottom-land  there  was  near  a  thou 
sand  acres,  stretching  in  three  directions,  of  which  two  hun 
dred  belonged  to  what  was  called  the  Nest  Farm.  The 
lemainder  was  divided  among  the  farms  of  the  adjacent  ten 
antry.  This  little  circumstance,  among  the  thousand-and- 
one  other  atrocities  that  were  charged  upon  me,  had  been 
made  a  ground  of  accusation,  to  which  I  shall  presently  have 
occasion  to  advert.  I  shall  do  this  the  more  readily,  because 
the  fact  has  not  yet  reached  the  ears  and  set  in  motion  the 
tongues  of  legislators  —  Heaven  bless  us,  how  words  do  get 
corrupted  by  too  much  use !  —  in  their  enumeration  of  the 
griefs  of  the  tenants  of  the  State. 

Everything  about  the  Nest  was  kept  in  perfect  order,  and 


THE     REDSKINS.  159 

n  a  condition  to  do  credit  to  the  energy  and  taste  of  ray 
grandmother,  who  had  ordered  all  these  things  for  the  last 
few  years,  or  since  the  death  of  my  grandfather.  This  cir 
cumstance,  connected  with  the  fact  that  the  building  was 
larger  and  more  costly  than  those  of  most  of  the  other  citi 
zens  of  the  country,  had,  of  late  years,  caused  Ravensnest 
to  be  termed  an  "  aristocratic  residence."  This  word  "  aris 
tocratic,"  I  find  since  my  return  home,  has  got  to  be  a  term 
of  expansive  signification,  its  meaning  depending  on  the 
particular  habits  and  opinions  of  the  person  who  happens  to 
use  it.  Thus,  he  who  chews  tobacco  thinks  it  aristocratic 
in  him  who  deems  the  practice  nasty  not  to  do  the  same ; 
the  man  who  stoops  accuses  him  who  is  straight  in  the  back 
of  having  aristocratic  shoulders  ;  and  I  have  actually  met 
with  one  individual  who  maintained  that  it  was  excessively 
aristocratic  to  pretend  not  to  blow  one's  nose  with  his  fin 
gers.  It  will  soon  be  aristocratic  to  maintain  the  truth  of 
the  familiar  Latin  axiom  of  "  de  gustibus  non  disputandum 
€**.» 

As  we  approached  the  door  of  the  Nest  House,  which 
opened  on  the  piazza  that  stretched  along  three  sides  of  the 
main  building,  and  the  outer  ends  of  both  wings,  the  coach 
man  was  walking  his  horses  away  from  it,  on  the  road  that 
led  to  the  stables.  The  party  of  ladies  had  made  a  consi 
derable  circuit  after  quitting  the  farm,  and  had  arrived  but 
a  minute  before  us.  All  the  girls  but  Mary  Warren  had 
entered  the  house,  careless  on  the  subject  of  the  approach 
of  two  pedlars  ;  she  remained,  however,  at  the  side  of  my 
grandmother,  to  receive  us. 

"  I  believe  in  my  soul,"  whispered  uncle  Ro,  "  that  my 
dear  old  mother  has  a  secret  presentiment  who  we  are,  by 
her  manifesting  so  much  respect. — T'ousand  t'anks,  matam, 
t'ousand  t'anks,"  he  continued,  dropping  into  his  half-accu 
rate  half-blundering  broken  English,  "  for  dis  great  honour, 
such  as  we  might  not  expect  das  laty  of  das  house  to  wait 
for  us  at  her  door." 

"  This  young  lady  tells  me  that  she  has  seen  you  before, 
and  that  she  understands  you  are  both  persons  of  education 
and  good  manners,  who  have  been  driven  from  your  native 
country  by  political  troubles.  Such  being  the  case,  I  can 
not  regard  you  as  common  pedlars.  I  have  known  what  it 


160  THE     REDSKINS. 

was  to  be  reduced  in  fortune,"  —  my  dear  grandmother's 
voice  trembled  a  little  —  "  and  can  feel  for  those  who  thus 
suffer." 

"  Matam,  dere  might  be  moch  trut'  in  some  of  dis,"  an- 
swered  my  uncle,  taking  off  his  cap,  and  bowing  very  much 
like  a  gentleman,  an  act  in  which  I  imitated  him  immedi 
ately.  "  We  haf  seen  petter  tays ;  und  my  son,  dere,  hast 
peen  edicatet  at  an  university.  But  we  are  now  poor  ped 
lars  of  vatches,  und  dem  dat  might  make  moosic  in  der 
streets." 

My  grandmother  looked  as  a  lady  would  look  under  such 
circumstances,  neither  too  free  to  forget  present  appearances, 
nor  coldly  neglectful  of  the  past.  She  knew  that  something 
was  due  to  her  own  household,  and  to  the  example  she  ought 
to  set  it,  while  she  felt  that  far  more  was  due  to  the  senti 
ment  that  unites  the  cultivated.  We  were  asked  into  the 
house,  were  told  a  table  was  preparing  for  us,  and  were 
treated  with  a  generous  and  considerate  hospitality  that  in 
volved  no  descent  from  her  own  character,  or  that  of  the 
sex;  the  last  being  committed  to  the  keeping  of  every  lady. 

In  the  mean  time,  business  proceeded  with  my  uncfe.  He 
was  paid  his  hundred  dollars ;  and  all  his  stores  of  value, 
including  rings,  brooches,  ear-rings,  chains,  bracelets,  and 
other  trinkets  that  he  had  intended  as  presents  to  his  wards, 
were  produced  from  his  pockets,  and  laid  before  the  bright 
eyes  of  the  three  girls  —  Mary  Warren  keeping  in  the  back 
ground,  as  one  who  ought  not  to  look  on  things  unsuited  to 
her  fortune.  Her  father  had  arrived,  however,  had  been 
consulted,  and  the  pretty  watch  was  already  attached  to  the 
girdle  of  the  prettier  waist.  I  fancied  the  tear  of  gratitude 
that  still  floated  in  her  serene  eyes  was  a  jewel  of  far  higher 
price  than  any  my  uncle  could  exhibit. 

We  had  been  shown  into  the  library,  a  room  that  was  in 
the  front  of  the  house,  and  of  which  the  windows  all  opened 
on  the  piazza.  I  was  at  first  a  little  overcome,  at  thus  finding 
myself,  and  unrecognized,  under  the  paternal  roof,  and  in 
a  dwelling  that  was  my  own,  after  so  many  years  of  ab 
sence.  Shall  I  confess  it !  Everything  appeared  diminu 
tive  and  mean,  after  the  buildings  to  which  I  had  been  ac 
customed  in  the  old  world.  I  am  not  now  drawing  compa 
risons  with  the  palaces  of  princes,  and  the  abodes  of  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  161 

great,  as  the  American  is  apt  to  fancy,  whenever  anything 
is  named  that  is  superior  to  the  things  to  which  he  is  accus 
tomed  ;  but  to  the  style,  dwellings,  and  appliances  of  domes 
tic  life  that  pertain  to  those  of  other  countries  who  have  not 
a  claim  in  anything  to  be  accounted  my  superiors — scarcely 
my  equals.  In  a  word,  American  aristocracy,  or  that  which 
it  is  getting  to  be  the  fashion  to  stigmatize  as  aristocratic, 
would  be  deemed  very  democratic  in  most  of  the  nations  of 
Europe.  Our  Swiss  brethren  have  their  chateaux  and  their 
habits  that  are  a  hundred  times  more  aristocratic  than  any 
thing  about  Ravensnest,  without  giving  offence  to  liberty ; 
and  I  feel  persuaded,  were  the  proudest  establishment  in  all 
America  pointed  out  to  a  European  as  an  aristocratic  abode, 
he  would  be  very  apt  to  laugh  at  it,  in  his  sleeve.  The  se 
cret  of  this  charge  among  ourselves  is  the  innate  dislike 
which  is  growing  up  in  the  country  to  see  any  man  distin 
guished  from  the  mass  around  him  in  anything,  even  though 
it  should  be  in  merit.  It  is  nothing  but  the  expansion  of 
the  principle  which  gave  rise  to  the  traditionary  feud  be 
tween  the  "  plebeians  and  patricians"  of  Albany,  at  the 
commencement  of  this  century,  and  which  has  now  de 
scended  so  much  farther  than  was  then  contemplated  by  the 
soi-disant  "  plebeians"  of  that  day,  as  to  become  quite  disa 
greeable  to  their  own  descendants.  But  to  return  to  my 
self— 

I  will  own  that,  so  far  from  finding  any  grounds  of  ex 
ultation  in  my  own  aristocratical  splendour,  when  I  came 
to  view  my  possessions  at  home,  I  felt  mortified  and  disap. 
pointed.  The  things  that  I  had  fancied  really  respectable, 
and  even  fine,  from  recollection,  now  appeared  very  com 
mon-place,  and  in  many  particulars  mean.  "  Really,"  I 
found  myself  saying  sotto  voce,  "  all  this  is  scarcely  worthy 
of  being  the  cause  of  deserting  the  right,  setting  sound  prin 
ciples  at  defiance,  and  of  forgetting  God  and  his  command 
ments  !"  Perhaps  I  was  too  inexperienced  to  comprehend 
how  capacious  is  the  maw  of  the  covetous  man,  and  how 
microscopic  the  eye  of  envy. 

"  You  are  welcome  to  Ravensnest,"  said  Mr.  Warren, 
approaching  and  offering  his  hand  in  a  friendly  way,  much 
as  he  would  address  any  other  young  friend;  "we  arrived 
*  little  before  you,  and  I  have  had  my  ears  and  eyes  open 


162  THE     REDSKINS. 

ever  since,  in  the  hope  of  hearing  your  flute,  and  of  seeing 
your  form  in  the  highway,  near  the  parsonage,  where  you 
promised  to  visit  me." 

Mary  was  standing  at  her  father's  elbow,  as  when  I  first 
saw  her,  and  she  gazed  wistfully  at  my  flute,  as  she  would 
not  have  done  had  she  seen  me  in  my  proper  attire,  assuming 
my  proper  character. 

"  I  danks  you,  sir,"  was  my  answer.  "  We  might  haf 
plenty  of  times  for  a  little  moosic,  vhen  das  laties  shall  be 
pleaset  to  say  so.  I  canst  blay  Yankee  Doodle,  Hail  Co- 
loombias,  and  der  '  Star  Spangled  Banner,'  und  all  dem  airs, 
as  dey  so  moch  likes  at  der  taverns  and  on  der  road." 

Mr.  Warren  laughed,  and  he  took  the  flute  from  my  hand, 
and  began  to  examine  it.  I  now  trembled  for  the  incognito  ! 
The  instrument  had  been  mine  for  many  years,  and  was  a 
very  capital  one,  with  silver  keys,  stops,  and  ornaments. 
What  if  Patt  —  what  if  my  dear  grandmother  should  recog 
nise  it !  I  would  have  given  the  handsomest  trinket  in  my 
uncle's  collection  to  get  the  flute  back  again  into  my  own 
hands ;  but,  before  an  opportunity  offered  for  that,  it  went 
from  hand  to  hand,  as  the  instrument  that  had  produced  the 
charming  sounds  heard  that  morning,  until  it  reached  those 
of  Martha.  The  dear  girl  was  thinking  of  the  jewelry, 
which,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  rich,  and  intended  in 
part  for  herself,  and  she  passed  the  instrument  on,  saying, 
hurriedly, — 

"  See,  dear  grandmother,  this  is  the  flute  which  you  pro 
nounced  the  sweetest  toned  of  any  you  had  ever  heard !" 

My  grandmother  took  the  flute,  started,  put  her  spectacles 
closer  to  her  eyes,  examined  the  instrument,  turned  pale  — 
for  her  cheeks  still  retained  a  little  of  the  colour  of  their 
youth  —  and  then  cast  a  glance  hurriedly  and  anxiously  at 
me.  I  could  see  that  she  was  pondering  on  something  pro 
foundly  in  her  most  secret  mind,  for  a  minute  or  two. 
Luckily  the  others  were  too  much  occupied  with  the  box  of 
the  pedlar  to  heed  her  movements.  She  walked  slowly  out 
of  the  door,  almost  brushing  me  as  she  passed,  and  went 
into  the  hall.  Here  she  turned,  and,  catching  my  eye,  she 
signed  for  me  to  join  her.  Obeying  this  signal,  I  followed, 
until  I  was  led  into  a  little  room,  in  one  of  the  wings,  that  I 
well  remembered  as  a  sort  of  private  parlour  attached  to  my 


THE     REDSKINS.  163 

grandmother's  own  bed-room.  To  call  it  a  boudoir  would 
be  to  caricature  things,  its  furniture  being  just  that  of  the 
sort  of  room  I  have  mentioned,  or  of  a  plain,  neat,  comfort 
able,  country  parlour.  Here  my  grandmother  took  her  seat 
on  a  sofa,  for  she  trembled  so  she  could  not  stand,  and  then 
she  turned  to  gaze  at  me  wistfully,  and  with  an  anxiety  it 
would  be  difficult  for  me  to  describe. 

"  Do  not  keep  me  in  suspense !"  she  said,  almost  awfully 
in  tone  and  manner,  "  am  I  right  in  my  conjecture  ?" 

"  Dearest  grandmother,  you  are  1"  I  answered,  in  my  na 
tural  voice. 

No  more  was  needed  :  we  hung  on  each  other's  necks,  as 
had  been  my  wont  in  boyhood. 

"  But  who  is  that  pedlar,  Hugh  ?"  demanded  my  grand 
mother,  after  a  time.   "  Can  it  possibly  be  Roger,  my  son  ?" 
"  It  is  no  other ;  we  have  come  to  visit  you,  incog." 
"  And  why  this  disguise  ?  —  Is  it  connected  with  the  trou 
bles?" 

*'  Certainly ;  we  have  wished  to  take  a  near  view  with 
our  own  eyes,  and  supposed  it  might  be  unwise  to  come 
openly,  in  our  proper  characters." 

"  In  this  you  have  done  well ;  yet  I  hardly  know  how  to 
welcome  you,  in  your  present  characters.  On  no  account 
must  your  real  names  be  revealed.  The  demons  of  tar  and 
feathers,  the  sons  of  liberty  and  equality,  who  illustrate  their 
principles  as  they  do  their  courage,  by  attacking  the  few 
with  the  many,  would  be  stirring,  fancying  themselves  he 
roes  and  martyrs  in  the  cause  of  justice,  did  they  learn  you 
were  here.  Ten  armed  and  resolute  men  might  drive  a 
hundred  of  them,  I  do  believe ;  for  they  have  all  the  cow 
ardice  of  thieves,  but  they  are  heroes  with  the  unarmed  and 
feeble.  Are  you  safe,  yourselves,  appearing  thus  disguised, 
under  the  new  law  ?" 

"  We  are  not  armed,  not  having  so  much  as  a  pistol ;  and 
that  will  protect  us." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say,  Hugh,  that  this  country  is  no  longer 
what  I  once  knew  it.  Its  justice,  if  not  wholly  departed,  is 
taking  to  itself  wings,  and  its  blindness,  not  in  a  disregard 
of  persons,  but  in  a  faculty  of  seeing  only  the  stronger  side. 
A  landlord,  in  my  opinion,  would  have  but  little  hope,  with 
jury,  judge,  or  executive,  for  doing  that  which  thousands 


164  THE    REDSKINS. 

of  the  tenants  have  done,  still  do,  and  will  contir  ue  to  do, 
with  perfect  impunity,  unless  some  dire  catastrophe  stimu. 
lates  the  public  functionaries  to  their  duties,  by  awakening 
public  indignation." 

"  This  is  a  miserable  state  of  things,  dearest  grandmother; 
and  what  makes  it  worse,  is  the  cool  indifference  with  which 
most  persons  regard  it.  A  better  illustration  of  the  utter 
selfishness  of  human  nature  cannot  be  given,  than  in  the 
manner  in  which  the  body  of  the  people  look  on,  and  see 
wrong  thus  done  to  a  few  of  their  number." 

"Such  persons  as  Mr.  Seneca  Newcome  would  answer, 
that  the  public  sympathises  with  the  poor,  who  are  oppressed 
by  the  rich,  because  the  last  do  not  wish  to  let  the  first  rob 
them  of  their  estates !  We  hear  a  great  deal  of  the  strong 
robbing  the  weak,  all  over  the  world,  but  few  among  our 
selves,  I  am  afraid,  are  sufficiently  clear-sighted  to  see  how 
vivid  an  instance  of  the  truth  now  exists  among  ourselves." 

"  Calling  the  tenants  the  strong,  and  the  landlords  the 
weak?" 

"  Certainly ;  numbers  make  strength,  in  this  country  m 
which  all  power  in  practice,  and  most  of  it  in  theory,  rests 
with  the  majority.  Were  there  as  many  landlords  as  there 
are  tenants,  my  life  on  it,  no  one  would  see  the  least  injus 
tice  in  the  present  state  of  things." 

"  So  says  my  uncle :  but  I  hear  the  light  steps  of  the 
girls  —  we  must  be  on  our  guard." 

At  that  instant  Martha  entered,  followed  by  all  three  of 
the  girls,  holding  in  her  hand  a  very  beautiful  Manilla  chain 
that  my  uncle  had  picked  up  in  his  travels,  and  had  pur 
chased  as  a  present  to  my  future  wife,  whomsoever  she 
might  turn  out  to  be,  and  which  he  had  had  the  indiscretion 
to  show  to  his  ward.  A  look  of  surprise  was  cast  by  each 
girl  in  succession,  as  she  entered  the  room,  on  me,  but  nei 
ther  said,  and  I  fancy  neither  thought  much  of  my  being 
shut  up  there  with  an  old  lady  of  eighty,  after  the  first  mo 
ment.  Other  thoughts  were  uppermost  at  the  moment. 

"  Look  at  this,  dearest  grandmamma !"  cried  Patt,  holding 
up  the  chain  as  she  entered  the  room.  "  Here  is  just  the 
most  exquisite  chain  that  was  ever  wrought,  and  of  the 
purest  gold  ;  but  the  pedlar  refuses  to  part  with  it !" 

"  Perhaps  you  do  not  offer  enough,  my  child ;  it  is,  in« 


THE     REDSKINS.  165 

deed,  very,  very  beautiful ;  pray  what  does  he  say  is  its 
value?" 

"  One  hundred  dollars,  he  says ;  and  I  can  readily  be 
lieve  it,  for  its  weight  is  near  half  the  money.  I  do  wish 
Hugh  were  at  home ;  I  am  certain  he  would  contrive  to  get 
it,  and  make  it  a  present  to  me !" 

"  Nein,  nein,  young  lady,"  put  in  the  pedlar,  who,  a  little 
unceremoniously,  had  followed  the  girls  into  the  room,  though 
he  knew,  of  course,  precisely  where  he  was  coming ;  "  dat 
might  not  be.  Dat  chain  is  der  broperty  of  my  son,  t'ere, 
und  I  haf  sworn  it  shalt  only  be  gifen  to  his  wife." 

Patt  coloured  a  little,  and  she  pouted  a  good  deal ;  then 
she  laughed  outright. 

"  If  it  is  only  to  be  had  on  those  conditions,  I  am  afraid  I 
shall  never  own  it,"  she  said,  saucily,  though  it  was  in 
tended  to  be  uttered  so  low  as  not  to  reach  my  ears.  "  I 
will  pay  the  hundred  dollars  out  of  my  own  pocket-money, 
however,  if  that  will  buy  it.  Do  say  a  good  word  for  me, 
grandmamma !" 

How  prettily  the  hussy  uttered  that  word  of  endearment, 
so  different  from  the  "  paw"  and  "  maw"  one  hears  among 
the  dirty-noses  that  are  to  be  found  in  the  mud-puddles! 
But  our  grand-parent  was  puzzled,  for  she  knew  with  whom 
she  had  to  deal,  and  of  course  saw  that  money  would  do 
nothing.  Nevertheless,  the  state  of  the  game  rendered  it 
necessary  to  say  and  do  something  that  might  have  an  ap 
pearance  of  complying  with  Patty's  request. 

"  Can  I  have  more  success  in  persuading  you  to  change 
your  mind,  sir?"  she  said,  looking  at  her  son  in  a  way  that 
let  him  know  at  once,  or  at  least  made  him  suspect  at  once, 
that  she  was  in  his  secret.  "  It  would  give  me  great  plea 
sure  to  be  able  to  gratify  my  grand-daughter,  by  making 
her  a  present  of  so  beautiful  a  chain." 

My  uncle  Ro  advanced  to  his  mother,  took  the  hand  she 
had  extended  with  the  chain  in  it,  in  prder  the  better  to  ad 
mire  the  trinket,  and  he  kissed  it  with  a  profound  respect, 
but  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  seem  to  the  lookers-on 
an  act  of  European  usage,  rather  than  what  it  was,  the  tem 
pered  salute  of  a  child  to  his  parent. 

"  Laty,"  he  then  said,  with  emphasis,  "  if  anyboty  might 
make  me  change  a  resolution  long  since  made,  it  would  be 


166  THE     REDSKINS. 

one  as  fenerable,  und  gracious,  imd  goot  as  I  am  sartain 
you  most  be.  But  I  haf  vowet  to  gif  dat  chain  to  das  wife 
of  mine  son,  vhen  he  might  marry,  one  day,  some  bretly 
young  American;  und  it  might  not  be." 

Dear  grandmother  smiled  ;  but  now  she  understood  that 
it  was  really  intended  the  chain  was  to  be  an  offering  to  my 
wife,  she  no  longer  wished  to  change  its  destination.  She 
examined  the  bauble  a  few  moments,  and  said  to  me  — 

"  Do  you  wish  this,  as  well  as  your  un —  father,  I  should 
say  ?  It  is  a  rich  present  for  a  poor  man  to  make." 

"  Ja,  ja,  laty,  it  ist  so ;  but  vhen  der  heart  goes,  golt 
might  be  t'ought  *heap  to  go  wid  it." 

The  old  lady  was  half  ready  to  laugh  in  my  face,  at  hear 
ing  this  attempt  at  Germanic  English  ;  but  the  kindness,  and 
delight,  and  benevolent  tenderness  of  her  still  fine  eyes,  made 
me  wish  to  throw  myself  in  her  arms  again,  and  kiss  her. 
Patt  continued  to  bonder  for  a  moment  or  two  longer,  but 
her  excellent  nature  soon  gave  in,  and  the  smiles  returned 
to  her  countenance,  as  the  sun  issues  from  behind  a  cloud 
in  May. 

"  Well,  the  disappointment  may  and  must  be  borne,"  she 
said,  good-naturedly ;  "  though  it  is  much  the  most  lovely 
chain  I  have  ever  seen." 

"  I  dare  say  the  right  person  will  one  day  find  one  quite 
as  lovely  to  present  to  you !"  said  Henrietta  Coldbrook,  a 
little  pointedly. 

I  did  not  like  this  speech.  It  was  an  allusion  that  a  well- 
bred  young  woman  ought  not  to  have  made,  at  least  before 
others,  even  pedlars ;  and  it  was  one  that  a  young  woman 
of  a  proper  tone  of  feeling  would  not  be  apt  to  make.  I  de 
termined  from  that  instant  the  chain  should  never  belong  to 
Miss  Henrietta,  though  she  was  a  fine,  showy  girl,  and 
though  such  a  decision  would  disappoint  my  uncle  sadly.  I 
was  a  little  surprised  to  see  a  slight  blush  on  Patt's  cheek, 
and  then  I  remembered  something  of  the  name  of  the  tra 
veller,  Beekman.  Turning  towards  Mary  Warren,  I  saw 
plain  enough  that  she  was  disappointed  because  my  sister 
was  disappointed,  and  for  no  other  reason  in  the  world. 

"  Your  grandmother  will  meet  with  another  chain,  when 
she  goes  to  town,  that  will  make  you  forget  this,"  she  whis- 
peied,  affectionately,  close  at  my  sister's  ear. 


THE    REDSKINS.  167 

Patt  smiled,  and  kissed  her  friend  with  a  warmth  of  man 
ner  that  satisfied  me  these  two  charming  young  creatures 
loved  each  other  sincerely.  But  my  dear  old  grandmother's 
curiosity  had  been  awakened,  and  she  felt  a  necessity  for 
having  it  appeased.  She  still  held  the  chain,  and  as  she 
returned  it  to  me,  who  happened  to  be  nearest  to  her,  she 
said  — 

"  And  so,  sir,  your  mind  is  sincerely  made  up  to  offer 
this  chain  to  your  future  wife  ?" 

"  Yes,  laty ;  or  what  might  be  better,  to  das  yoong  frau, 
before  we  might  be  marriet." 

"  And  is  your  choice  made?:'  glancing  round  at  the  girls, 
who  were  grouped  together,  looking  at  some  other  trinkets 
of  my  uncle's.  "  Have  you  chosen  the  young  woman  who 
is  to  possess  so  handsome  a  chain  ?" 

"  Nein,  riein,"  I  answered,  returning  the  smile,  and  glanc 
ing  also  at  the  group ;  "  dere  ist  so  many  peautiful  laties  in 
America,  one  needn't  be  in  a  hurry.  In  goot  time  I  shalt 
find  her  dat  ist  intended  for  me." 

"  Well,  grandmamma,"  interrupted  Patt,  "  since  nobody 
can  have  the  chain,  unless  on  certain  conditions,  here  are 
the  three  other  things  that  we  have  chosen  for  Ann,  Henri 
etta,  and  myself,  and  they  are  a  ring,  a  pair  of  bracelets 
and  a  pair  of  ear-rings.  The  cost,  altogether,  will  be  two 
hundred  dollars;  can  you  approve  of  that?" 

My  grandmother,  now  she  knew  who  was  the  pedlar,  un 
derstood  the  whole  matter,  and  had  no  scruples.  The  bar 
gain  was  soon  made,  when  she  sent  us  all  out  of  the  room, 
under  the  pretence  we  should  disturb  her  while  settling  with 
the  watch-seller.  Her  real  object,  however,  was  to  be  alone 
with  her  son,  not  a  dollar  passing  between  them,  of  course. 


- 


168  THE     REDSKINS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

«*  Our  life  was  changed.     Another  lore 

In  its  lone  woof  began  to  twine ; 
But  oh!  the  golden  thread  was  wove 
Between  my  sister's  heart  and  mine." 

WILLIS. 

HALF  an  hour  later,  uncle  Ro  and  myself  were  seated  at 
table,  eating  our  dinners  as  quietly  as  if  we  were  in  an  inn. 
The  footman  who  had  set  the  table  was  an  old  family  ser 
vant,  one  who  had  performed  the  same  sort  of  duty  in  that 
very  house  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Of  course  he  was 
not  an  American,  no  man  of  American  birth  ever  remain 
ing  so  long  a  time  in  an  inferior  station,  or  in  any  station 
so  low  as  that  of  a  house-servant.  If  he  has  good  qualities 
enough  to  render  it  desirable  to  keep  him,  he  is  almost  cer 
tain  to  go  up  in  the  world ;  if  not,  one  does  not  care  parti 
cularly  about  having  him.  But  Europeans  are  less  elastic 
and  less  ambitious,  and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  to  find  one 
of  such  an  origin  remaining  a  long  time  in  the  same  service. 
Such  had  been  the  fact  with  this  man,  who  had  followed 
my  own  parents  from  Europe,  when  they  returned  from 
their  marriage  tour,  and  had  been  in  the  house  on  the  occa 
sion  of  my  birth.  From  that  time  he  had  continued  at  the 
Nest,  never  marrying,  nor  ever  manifesting  the  smallest 
wish  for  any  change.  He  was  an  Englishman  by  birth  ; 
and  what  is  very  unusual  in  a  servant  of  that  country,  when 
transferred  to  America,  the  "  letting-up,"  which  is  certain 
to  attend  such  a  change  from  the  depression  of  the  original 
condition  to  that  in  which  he  is  so  suddenly  placed,  had  not 
made  him  saucy.  An  American  is  seldom  what  is  called 
impudent,  under  any  circumstances;  he  is  careless,  nay  ig 
norant  of  forms ;  pays  little  or  no  purely  conventional  re- 
spect ;  does  not  understand  half  the  social  distinctions  which 
exist  among  the  higher  classes  of  even  his  own  countrymen, 
and  fancies  there  are  equalities  in  things  about  which,  in 
truth,  there  is  great  inequality  between  himself  and  others 


THE     REDSKINS.  160 

merely  because  he  has  been  taught  that  all  men  are  equal 
in  rights ;  but  he  is  so  unconscious  of  any  pressure  as 
seldom  to  feel  a  disposition  to  revenge  himself  by  impu 
dence. 

But,  while  John  was  not  impudent  either,  he  had  a  foot 
man's  feeling  towards  those  whom  he  fancied  no  better  than 
himself.  He  had  set  the  table  with  his  customary  neatness 
and  method,  and  he  served  the  soup  with  as  much  regu 
larity  as  he  would  have  done  had  we  sat  there  in  our  pro 
per  characters,  but  then  he  withdrew.  He  probably  remem 
bered  that  the  landlord,  or  upper  servant  of  an  English  hotel, 
is  apt  to  make  his  appearance  with  the  soup,  and  to  disap 
pear  as  that  disappears.  So  it  was  with  John  ;  after  re 
moving  the  soup,  he  put  a  dumb-waiter  near  my  uncle, 
touched  a  carving-knife  or  two,  as  much  as  to  say  "  help 
yourselves,"  and  quitted  the  room.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
our  dinner  was  not  a  very  elaborate  one,  it  wanting  two  or 
three  hours  to  the  regular  time  of  dining,  though  my  grand 
mother  had  ordered,  in  my  hearing,  one  or  two  delicacies 
to  be  placed  on  the  table,  that  had  surprised  Patt.  Among 
the  extraordinary  things  for  such  guests  was  wine.  The 
singularity,  however,  was  a  little  explained  by  the  quality 
commanded,  which  was  Rhenish. 

My  uncle  Ro  was  a  little  surprised  at  the  disappearance 
of  John ;  for,  seated  in  that  room,  he  was  so  accustomed  to 
his  face,  that  it  appeared  as  if  he  were  not  half  at  home 
without  him. 

"  Let  the  fellow  go,"  he  said,  withdrawing  his  hand  from 
the  bell-cord,  which  he  had  already  touched  to  order  him  back 
again  ;  "  we  can  talk  more  freely  without  him.  Well,  Hugh, 
here  you  are,  under  your  own  roof,  eating  a  charitable  din 
ner,  and  treated  as  hospitably  as  if  you.  did  not  own  all  you 
can  see  for  a  circle  of  five  miles  around  you.  It  was  a 
lucky  idea  of  the  old 'lady's,  by  the  way,  to  think  of  order 
ing  this  Rudesheimer,  in  our  character  of  Dutchmen  !  How 
amazingly  well  she  is  looking,  boy  !" 

"  Indeed  she  is  ;  and  I  am  delighted  to  see  it.  I  do  not 
know  why  my  grandmother  may  not  live  these  twenty 
years ;  for  even  that  would  not  make  her  near  as  old  as 
Sus,  who,  I  have  often  heard  her  say,  was  a  middle-aged 
man  when  she  was  born." 
15 


170  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  True ;  she  seems  like  an  elder  sister  to  me,  rather  than 
as  a  mother,  and  is  altogether  a  most  delightful  old  woman. 
But,  if  we  had  so  charming  an  old  woman  to  receive  us,  so 
are  there  also  some  very  charming  young  women  —  hey, 
Hugh!" 

"I  am  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking,  sir;  and  must  say 
I  have  not,  in  many  a  day,  seen  two  as  charming  creatures 
as  I  have  met  with  here." 

"  Two  !  —  umph  ;  a  body  would  think  one  might  suffice 
Pray,  which  may  be  the  two,  Master  Padishah  ?" 

"  Patt  and  Mary  Warren,  of  course.  The  other  two  are 
well  enough,  but  these  two  are  excellent." 

My  uncle  Ro  looked  grum,  but  he  said  nothing  for  some 
time.  Eating  is  always  an  excuse  for  a  broken  conversa 
tion,  and  he  ate  away  as  if  resolute  not  to  betray  his  disap 
pointment.  But  it  is  a  hard  matter  for  a  gentleman  to  do 
nothing  but  eat  at  table,  and  so  was  obliged  to  talk. 

"  Everything  looks  well  here,  after  all,  Hugh,"  observed 
my  uncle.  "  These  anti-renters  may  have  done  an  infinite 
deal  of  harm  in  the  way  of  abusing  principles,  but  they  do 
riot  seem  to  have  yet  destroyed  any  material  things." 

"  It  is  not  their  cue,  sir.  The  crops  are  their  own ;  and 
as  they  hope  to  own  the  farms,  it  would  be  scarcely  wise  to 
injure  what,  no  doubt,  they  begin  to  look  on  as  their  own 
property,  too.  As  for  the  Nest  House,  grounds,  farm,  &c., 
I  dare  say  they  will  be  very  willing  to  leave  me  them  for  a 
while  longer,  provided  they  can  get  everything  else  away 
from  me." 

"  For  a  time  longer,  at  least ;  though  that  is  the  folly  of 
those  who  expect  to  get  along  by  concessions ;  as  if  men 
were  ever  satisfied  with  the  yielding  of  a  part,  when  they 
ask  that  which  is  wrong  in  itself,  without  sooner  or  later 
expecting  to  get  the  whole.  As  well  might  one  expect  the 
pickpocket  who  had  abstracted  a  dollar,  to  put  back  two- 
and-sixpence  change.  But  things  really  look  well,  around 
the  place." 

"  So  much  the  better  for  us.  Though,  to  my  judgment 
and  taste,  Miss  Mary  Warren  looks  better  than  anything 
else  I  have  yet  seen  in  America." 

Another  "  umph"  expressed  my  uncle's  dissatisfaction  •—* 


THE     REDSKINS.  171 

displeasure  would  be  too  strong  a  word  —  and  he  continued 
eating. 

"  You  have  really  some  good  Rhenish  in  your  cellar, 
Hugh,"  resumed  uncle  Ro,  after  tossing  off  one  of  the  know 
ing  green  glasses  full — though  I  never  could  understand 
why  any  man  should  wish  to  drink  his  wine  out  of  green, 
when  he  might  do  it  out  of  crystal.  "  It  must  have  been  a 
purchase  of  mine,  made  when  we  were  last  in  Germany, 
and  for  the  use  of  my  mother." 

"  As  you  please,  sir ;  it  neither  adds  nor  subtracts  from 
the  beauty  of  Martha  and  her  friend." 

"  Since  you  are  disposed  to  make  these  boyish  allusions, 
be  frank  with  me,  and  say,  at  once,  how  you  like  my 
wards." 

"Meaning,  of  course,  sir,  my  own  sister  exclusively.  I 
will  be  as  sincere  as  possible,  and  say  that,  as  to  Miss  Mars- 
ton,  I  have  no  opinion  at  all ;  and  as  to  Miss  Coldbrook, 
she  is  what,  in  Europe,  would  be  called  a  '  fine'  woman." 

"  You  can  say  nothing  as  to  her  mind,  Hugh,  for  you 
have  had  no  opportunity  for  forming  an  opinion." 

"  Not  much  of  a  one,  I  will  own.  Nevertheless,  I  should 
have  liked  her  better  had  she  spared  the  allusion  to  the 
•  proper  person'  who  is  one  day  to  forge  a  chain  for  my  sis 
ter,  to  begin  with." 

"  Poh,  poh  ;  that  is  the  mere  squeamishness  of  a  boy.  I 
do  not  think  her  in  the  least  pert  or  forward,  and  your  con 
struction  would  be  tant  soil  pen  vulgar." 

"Put  your  own  construction  on  it,  mon  oncle ;  Jdo  not 
like  it." 

"  I  do  not  wonder  young  men  remain  unmarried ;  they 
are  getting  to  be  so  ultra  in  their  tastes  and  notions." 

A  stranger  might  have  retorted  on  an  old  bachelor,  for 
such  a  speech,  by  some  allusion  to  his  own  example;  but  I 
well  knew  that  my  uncle  Ro  had  once  been  engaged,  and 
that  he  lost  the  object  of  his  passion  by  death,  and  too  much 
respected  his  constancy  and  true  sentiments  ever  to  joke  on 
such  subjects.  I  believe  he  felt  the  delicacy  of  my  forbear 
ance  rather  more  than  common,  for  he  immediately  mani 
fested  a  disposition  to  relent,  and  to  prove  it  by  changing 
.he  subject. 


172  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  We  can  never  stay  here  to-night,"  he  said.  "  It  would 
be  at  once  to  proclaim  our  names — our  name,  I  might  say — • 
a  name  that  was  once  so  honoured  and  beloved  in  this  town, 
and  which  is  now  so  hated !" 

"  No,  no  ;  not  as  bad  as  that.  We  have  done  nothing 
to  merit  hatred." 

"  Raison  de  plus  for  hating  us  so  much  the  more  heartily. 
When  men  are  wronged,  who  have  done  nothing  to  deserve 
it,  the  evil-doer  seeks  to  justify  his  wickedness  to  himself 
by  striving  all  he  can  to  calumniate  the  injured  party  ;  and 
the  more  difficulty  he  finds  in  doing  that  to  his  mind,  the 
more  profound  is  his  hatred.  Rely  on  it,  we  are  most  sin 
cerely  disliked  here,  on  the  spot  where  we  were  once  both 
much  beloved.  Such  is  human  nature." 

At  that  moment  John  returned  to  the  room,  to  see  how 
we  were  getting  on,  and  to  count  his  forks  and  spoons,  for 
I  saw  the  fellow  actually  doing  it.  My  uncle,  somewhat 
indiscreetly,  I  fancied,  but.  by  merely  following  the  chain 
of  thought  then  uppermost  in  his  mind,  detained  him  in  con 
versation. 

"  Dis  broperty,"  he  said,  inquiringly,  "  is  de  broperty  of 
one  Yeneral  Littlepage,  I  hears  say  ?" 

"  Not  of  the  General,  who  was  Madam  Littlepage's  hus 
band,  and  who  has  long  been  dead,  but  of  his  grandson,  Mr 
Hugh." 

"  Und  vhere  might  he  be,  dis  Mr.  Hugh?  —  might  he  be 
at  hand,  or  might  he  not?" 

"No;  he's  in  Europe;  that  is  to  say,  in  Hengland.'' 
John  thought  England  covered  most  of  Europe,  though  he 
had  long  gotten  over  his  wish  to  return.  "Mr.  Hugh  and 
Mr.  Roger  be  both  habsent  from  the  country,  just  now" 

"  Dat  ist  unfortunate,  for  dey  dells  me  dere  might  be 
moch  troobles  here  abouts,  and  Injin-acting." 

"  There  is,  indeed  ;  and  a  wicked  thing  it  is,  that  there 
should  be  anything  of  the  sort." 

"  Und  vhat  might  be  der  reason  of  so  moch  troobles?  — 
and  vhere  ist  der  blame?" 

"  Well,  that  is  pretty  plain,  I  fancy,"  returned  John,  who, 
in  consequence  of  being  a  favoured  servant  at  head-quarters, 
fancied  himself  a  sort  of  cabinet  minister,  and  had  mucn 


THE     REDSKINS.  173 

pleasure  in  letting  his  knowledge  be  seen.  "  The  tenants 
on  this  estate  wants  to  be  landlords ;  and  as  they  can't  be 
so,  so  long  as  Mr.  Hugh  lives  and  won't  let  'em,  why  they 
just  tries  all  sorts  of  schemes  and  plans  to  frighten  people 
out  of  their  property.  I  never  go  down  to  the  village  but  I 
nas  a  talk  with  some  of  them,  and  that  in  a  way  that  might 
do  them  some  good,  if  anything  can." 

«*  Und  vhat  dost  you  say  1 —  und  vid  whom  dost  you  talk, 
as  might  do  dern  moch  goot  ?" 

"  Why,  you  see,  I  talks  more  with  one  'Squire  Newcome, 
as  they  calls  him,  though  he's  no  more  of  a  real  'squire 
than  you  be  —  only  a  sort  of  an  attorney,  like,  such  as  they 
has  in  this  country.  You  come  from  the  old  countries,  I 
believe?" 

«  ja>  ja — dat  ist,  yes — we  comes  from  Charmany  ;  so  you 
can  say  vhat  you  bleases." 

"  They  has  queer  'squires  in  this  part  of  the  world,  if 
truth  must  be  said.  But  that 's  neither  here  nor  there,  though 
I  give  this  Mr.  Seneca  Newcome  as  good  as  he  sends.  What 
is  it  you  wants,  I  says  to  him?  —  you  can't  all  be  landlords 
— somebody  must  be  tenants ;  and  if  you  didn't  want  to  be 
tenants,  how  come  you  to  be  so  ?  Land  is  plenty  in  this 
country,  and  cheap  too ;  and  why  didn't  you  buy  your  land 
at  first,  instead  of  coming  to  rent  of  Mr.  Hugh ;  and  now 
when  you  have  rented,  to  be  quarrelling  about  the  very 
thing  you  did  of  your  own  accord  ?" 

"  Dere  you-  didst  dell  'em  a  goot  t'ing ;  and  vhat  might 
der  'Squire  say  to  dat?" 

"  Oh  !  he  was  quite  dumb-founded,  at  first ;  then  he  said 
that  in  old  times,  when  people  first  rented  these  lands,  they 
didn't  know  as  much  as  they  do  now,  or  they  never  would 
have  done  it." 

"  Und  you  could  answer  dat ;  or  vast  it  your  durn  to  be 
dum-founded  ?" 

"  I  pitched  it  into  him,  as  they  says ;  I  did.  Says  I, 
how's  this,  says  I  —  you  are  for  ever  boasting  how  much 
you  Americans  know  —  and  how  the  people  knows  every 
thing  that  ought  to  be  done,  about  politics  and  religion — and 
you  proclaim  far  and  near  that  your  yeomen  are  the  salt  of 
the  earth — and  yet  you  don't  know  how  to  bargain  for  your 
teases !  A  pretty  sort  of  wisdom  is  this,  says  I !  I  had  him 
15* 


174  THE     REDSKINS. 

there ;  for  the  people  round  about  here  is  only  too  sharp  at 
a  trade." 

"  Did  he  own  dat  you  vast  right,  and  dat  he  vast  wrong, 
dis  Herr  'Squire  Newcome  ?" 

"  Not  he  ;  he  will  never  own  anything  that  makes  against 
his  own  doctrine,  unless  he  does  it  ignorantly.  But  I  haven't 
told  you  half  of  it.  I  told  him,  says  I,  how  is  it  you  talk 
of  one  of  the  Littlepage  family  cheating  you,  when,  as  you 
knows  yourselves,  you  had  rather  have  the  word  of  one  of 
that  family  than  have  each  other's  bonds,  says  I.  You 
know,  sir,  it  must  be  a  poor  landlord  that  a  tenant  can't  and 
won't  take  his  word:  and  this  they  all  know- to  be  true; 
for  a  gentleman  as  has  a  fine  estate  is  raised  above  tempta 
tion,  like,  and  has  a  pride  in  him  to  do  what  is  honourable 
and  fair ;  and,  in  my  opinion,  it  is  good  to  have  a  few  such 
people  in  a  country,  if  it  be  only  to  keep  the  wicked  one 
from  getting  it  altogether  in  his  own  keeping." 

"  Und  did  you  say  dat  moch  to  der  'Squire?" 

"No;  that  I  just  says  to  you  two,  seeing  that  we  are 
here,  talking  together  in  a  friendly  way;  but  a  man  needn't 
be  ashamed  to  say  it  anywhere,  for  it 's  a  religious  truth. 
But  I  says  to  him,  Newcome,  says  I,  you,  who  has  been 
living  so  long  on  the  property  of  the  Littlepages,  ought  to 
be  ashamed  to  wish  to  strip  them  of  it ;  but  you  're  not  satis 
fied  with  keeping  gentlemen  down  quite  as  much  out  of 
sight  as  you  can,  by  holding  all  the  offices  yourselves,  and 
taking  all  the  money  of  the  public  you  can  lay  your  hands 
on  for  your  own  use,  but  you  wants  to  trample  them  under 
your  feet,  I  says,  and  so  take  your  revenge  for  being  what 
you  be,  says  I." 

"  Veil,  my  friend,"  said  my  uncle,  "  you  vast  a  bolt  man 
to  dell  all  dis  to  der  beoples  of  dis  coontry,  vhere,  I  have 
heard,  a  man  may  say  just  vhat  he  hast  a  mind  to  say,  so 
dat  he  dost  not  sbeak  too  moch  trut !" 

"  That 's  it — that 's  it ;  you  have  been  a  quick  scholar,  I 
find.  I  told  this  Mr.  Newcome,  says  I,  you  're  bold  enough 
in  railing  at  kings  and  nobles,  for  you  very  well  know,  says 
I,  that  they  are  three  thousand  miles  away  from  you,  and 
can  do  you  no  harm ;  but  you  would  no  more  dare  get  up 
before  your  masters,  the  people,  here,  and  say  what  you 
really  think  about  'em,  and  what  I  have  heard  you  say  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  175 

.hem  in  private,  than  you  would  dare  put  your  head  before 
a  cannon,  as  the  gunner  touched  it  off.  Oh  !  I  gave  him  a 
lesson,  you  may  be  sure  1" 

Although  there  was  a  good  deal  of  the  English  footman  in 
John's  logic  and  feeling,  there  was  also  a  good  deal  of  truth 
in  what  he  said.  The  part  where  he  accused  Newcome  of 
nolding  one  set  of  opinions  in  private,  concerning  his  mas 
ters,  and  another  in  public,  is  true  to  the  life.  There  is  not, 
at  this  moment,  within  the  wide  reach  of  the  American  bor 
ders,  one  demagogue  to  be  found  who  might  not,  with  jus 
tice,  be  accused  of  precisely  the  same  deception.  There  is 
not  one  demagogue  in  the  whole  country,  who,  if  he  lived 
in  a  monarchy,  would  not  be  the  humblest  advocate  of  men 
in  power,  ready  to  kneel  at  the  feet  of  those  who  stood  in 
the  sovereign's  presence.  There  is  not,  at  this  instant,  a 
man  in  power  among  us  a  senator  or  a  legislator,  who  is 
now  the  seeming  advocate  of  what  he  wishes  to  call  the 
rights  of  the  tenants,  and  who  is  for  overlooking  principles 
and  destroying  law  and  right,  in  order  to  pacify  the  anti- 
renters  by  extraordinary  concessions,  that  would  not  be 
among  the  foremost,  under  a  monarchial  system,  to  recom 
mend  and  support  the  freest  application  of  the  sword  and  the 
bayonet  to  suppress  what  would  then  be  viewed,  ay,  and  be 
termed,  "  the  rapacious  longings  of  the  disaffected  to  enjoy 
the  property  of  others  without  paying  for  it."  All  this  is 
certain ;  for  it  depends  on  a  law  of  morals  that  is  infallible. 
Any  one  who  wishes  to  obtain  a  clear  index  to  the  true  cha 
racters  of  the  public  men  he  is  required  to.support,  or  op 
pose,  has  now  the  opportunity ;  for  each  stands  before  a 
mirror  that  reflects  him  in  his  just  proportions,  and  in  which 
the  dullest  eye  has  only  to  cast  a  glance,  in  order  to  view 
him  from  head  to  foot. 

The  entrance  of  my  grandmother  put  a  stop  to  John's 
discourse.  He  was  sent  out  of  the  room  on  a  message,  and 
then  I  learned  the  object  of  this  visit.  My  sister  had  been 
let  into  the  secret  of  our  true  characters,  and  was  dying  to 
embrace  me.  My  dear  grandmother,  rightly  enough,  had 
decided  it  would  be  to  the  last  degree  unkind  to  keep  her  in 
ignorance  of  our  presence;  and,  the  fact  known,  nature  had 
longings  which  must  be  appeased.  I  had  myself  been 


176  THE     REDSKINS. 

fempted  twenty  times,  that  morning,  to  snatch  Patt  to  my 
heart  and  kiss  her,  as  I  used  to  do  just  after  my  beard  be« 
i>an  to  grow,  and  she  was  so  much  of  a  child  as  to  complain. 
The  principal  thing  to  be  arranged,  then,  was  to  obtain  an 
interview  for  me  without  awakening  suspicion  in  the  ob 
servers.  My  grandmother's  plan  was  arranged,  however, 
and  she  now  communicated  it  to  us. 

There  was  a  neat  little  dressing-room  annexed  to  Mar- 
?ha's  bed-room  ;  in  that  the  meeting  was  to  take  place. 

"  She  and  Mary  Warren  are  now  there,  waiting  for  your 
appearance,  Hugh " 

"  Mary  Warren  ! — Does  she,  then,  know  who  I  am  ?" 

"  Not  in  the  least ;  she  has  no  other  idea  than  that  you 
ure  a  young  German,  of  good  connections  and  well  educated, 
who  has  been  driven  from  his  own  country  by  political  trou 
bles,  and  who  is  reduced  to  turn  his  musical  taste  and  ac 
quisitions  to  account,  in  the  way  you  seem  to  do,  until  he 
can  find  some  better  employment.  All  this  she  had  told  us 
before  we  met  you,  and  you  are  not  to  be  vain,  Hugh,  if  I 
add,  that  your  supposed  misfortunes,  and  great  skill  with 
the  flute,  and  good  behaviour,  have  made  a  friend  of  one  of 
the  best  and  most  true-hearted  girls  I  ever  had  the  good  for 
tune  to  know.  I  say  good  behaviour,  for  little,  just  now, 
can  be  ascribed  to  good  looks  " 

"  I  hope  I  am  not  in  the  least  revolting  in  appearance,  in 
this  disguise.  For  my  sister's  sake " 

The  hearty  laugh  of  my  dear  old  grandmother  brought 
me  up,  and  I  said  no  more ;  colouring,  I  believe,  a  little,  at 
my  own  folly.  Even  uncle  Ro  joined  in  the  mirth,  though 
I  could  see  he  wished  Mary  Warren  even  safely  translated 
along  with  her  father,  and  that  the  latter  was  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury.  I  must  acknowledge  that  I  felt  a  good  deal 
ashamed  of  the  weakness  I  had  betrayed. 

"  You  are  very  well,  Hugh,  darling,"  continued  my  grand 
mother  ;  "  though  I  must  think  you  would  be  more  interest 
ing  in  your  own  hair,  which  is  curling,  than  in  that  lank 
wig.  Still,  one  can  see  enough  of  your  face  to  recognise 
it,  if  one  has  the  clue ;  and  I  told  Martha,  at  the  first,  that 
I  was  struck  with  a  certain  expression  of  the  eyes  and  smils 
that  reminded  me  of  her  brother.  But,  there  they  are,  Mary 


T  HE     R  EDSKINS 


177 


and  Martha,  in  the  drawing-room,  waiting  for  your  appear- 
ance.  The  first  is  so  fond  of  music,  and,  indeed,  is  so  prac 
tised  in  it,  as  to  have  been  delighted  with  your  flute :  and 
she  has  talked  so  much  of  your  skill  as  to  justify  us  in  seem- 
ing  to  wish  for  a  further  exhibition  of  your  skill.  Henrietta 
and  Ann,  having  less  taste  that  way,  have  gone  together 
to  select  bouquets,  in  the  green-house,  and  there  is  now  an 
excellent  opportunity  to  gratify  your  sister.  I  am  to  draw 
Mary  out  of  the  room,  after  a  little  while,  when  you  and 
Martha  may  say  a  word  to  each  other  in  your  proper  cha 
racters.  As  for  you,  Roger,  you  are  to  open  your  box 
again,  and  I  will  answer  for  it  that  will  serve  to  amuse  your 
oFher  wards,  should  they  return  too  soon  from  their  visit  to 
the  gardener." 

Everything  being  thus  explained,  and  our  dinner  ended, 
all  parties  proceeded  to  the  execution  of  the  plan,  each  in 
his  or  her  designated  mode.  When  my  grandmother  and  I 
reached  the  dressing-room,  however,  Martha  was  not  there, 
though  Mary  Warren  was,  her  bright  but  serene  eyes  full 
of  happiness  and  expectation.  Martha  had  retired  to  the 
inner  room  for  a  moment,  whither  my  grandmother,  sus 
pecting  the  truth,  followed  her.  As  I  afterwards  ascer 
tained,  my  sister,  fearful  of  not  being  able  to  suppress  her 
tears  on  my  entrance,  had  withdrawn,  in  order  to  struggle 
for  self-command  without  betraying  our  secret.  I  was  told 
to  commence  an  air,  without  waiting  for  the  absent  young 
lady,  as  the  strain  could  easily  be  heard  through  the  open 
door. 

I  might  have  played  ten  minutes  before  my  sister  and 
grandmother  came  out  again.  Both  had  been  in  tears, 
though  the  intense  manner  in  which  Mary  Warren  was  oc 
cupied  with  the  harmony  of  my  flute,  probably  prevented 
her  from  observing  it.  To  me,  however,  it  was  plain  enough ; 
and  glad  was  I  to  find  that  my  sister  had  succeeded  in  com 
manding  her  feelings.  In  a  minute  or  two  my  grandmother 
profited  by  a  pause  to  rise  and  carry  away  with  her  Mary 
Warren,  though  the  last  left  the  room  with  a  reluctance  that 
was  very  manifest.  The  pretence  was  a  promise  to  meet 
the  divine  in  the  library,  on  some  business  connected  with 
the  Sunday-schools. 


178  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  You  can  keep  the  young  man  for  another  air,  Martha," 
observed  my  grandmother,  "  and  I  will  send  Jane  to  you, 
as  I  pass  her  room." 

Jane  was  my  sister's  own  maid,  and  her  room  was  close 
at  hand,  and  I  dare  say  dear  grandmother  gave  her  the  order, 
in  Mary  Warren's  presence,  as  soon  as  she  quitted  the  room, 
else  might  Mary  Warren  well  be  surprised  at  the  singularity 
of  the  whole  procedure;  but  Jane  did  not  make  her  appear 
ance,  nevertheless.  As  for  myself,  I  continued  to  play  as 
long  as  I  thought  any  ear  was  near  enough  to  hear  me ; 
then  I  laid  aside  my  flute.  In  the  next  instant  Patt  was  in 
my  arms,  where  she  lay  some  time  weeping,  but  looking 
inexpressibly  happy. 

"  Oh  !  Hugh,  what  a  disguise  was  this  to  visit  your  own 
house  in !"  she  said,  as  soon  as  composed  enough  to  speak. 

"Would  it  have  done  to  come  here  otherwise?  You 
know  the  state  of  the  country,  and  the  precious  fruits  our 
boasted  tree  of  liberty  is  bringing  forth.  The  owner  of  the 
land  can  only  visit  his  property  at  the  risk  of  his  life !" 

Martha  pressed  me  in  her  arms  in  a  way  to  show  how 
conscious  she  was  of  the  danger  I  incurred  in  even  thus  vi 
siting  her ;  after  which  we  seated  ourselves,  side  by  side, 
on  a  little  divan,  and  began  to  speak  of  those  things  that 
were  most  natural  to  a  brother  and  sister  who  so  much  loved 
each  other,  and  who  had  not  met  for  five  years.  My  grand 
mother  had  managed  so  well  as  to  prevent  all  interruption 
for  an  hour,  if  we  saw  fit  to  remain  together,  while  to  others 
it  should  seem  as  if  Pat  had  dismissed  me  in  a  few  minutes. 

««  Not  one  of  the  other  girls  suspect,  in  the  least,  who  you 
are,"  said  Martha,  smiling,  when  we  had  got  through  with 
the  questions  and  answers  so  natural  to  our  situation.  "  I 
am  surprised  that  Henrietta  has  not,  for  she  prides  herself 
on  her  penetration.  She  is  as  much  in  the  dark  as  the 
others,  however." 

"  And  Miss  Mary  Warren — the  young  lady  who  has  just 
left  the  room*— has  she  not  some  small  notion  that  I  am  not 
a  common  Dutch  music-grinder?" 

Patt  laughed,  and  that  so  merrily  as  to  cause  the  tones 
of  her  sweet  voice  to  fill  me  with  delight,  as  I  remembered 
what  she  had  been  in  childhood  and  girlhood  five  years  be- 


THE     REDSKINS.  179 

fore,  and  she  shook  her  bright  tresses  off  her  cheeks  ere  she 
would  answer. 

"  No,  Hugh,"  she  replied,  "  she  fancies  you  an  uncommon 
Dutch  music-grinder ;  an  artiste  that  not  only  grinds,  but 
who  dresses  up  his  harmonies  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  pa 
latable  to  the  most  refined  taste.  How  came  Mary  to  think 
you  and  my  uncle  two  reduced  German  gentleman  ?" 

"  And  does  the  dear  girl  believe — that  is,  does  Miss  Mary 
Warren  do  us  so  much  honour,  as  to  imagine  that  ?" 

"  Indeed  she  does,  for  she  told  us  as  much  as  soon  as  she 
got  home ;  and  Henrietta  and  Ann  have  made  themselves 
very  merry  with  their  speculations  on  the  subject  of  Miss 
Warren's  great  incognito.  They  call  you  Herzog  von 
Geige." 

"  Thank  them  for  that."  I  am  afraid  I  answered  a  little 
too  pointedly,  for  I  saw  that  Patt  seemed  surprised.  "  But 
your  American  towns  are  just  such  half-way  things  as  to 
spoil  young  women ;  making  them  neither  refined  and  po 
lished  as  they  might  be  in  real  capitals,  while  they  are  not 
left  the  simplicity  and  nature  of  the  country." 

"  Well,  Master  Hugh,  this  is  being  very  cross  about  a 
very  little,  and  not  particularly  complimentary  to  your  own 
sister.  And  why  not  your  American  towns,  as  well  as 
ours  ?  —  are  you  no  longer  one  of  us  ?" 

"  Certainly ;  one  of  yours,  always,  my  dearest  Patt, 
though  not  one  of  every  chattering  girl  who  may  set  up  for 
a  belle,  with  her  Dukes  of  Fiddle !  But,  enough  of  this ; 
— you  like  the  Warrens  ?" 

"Very  much  so;  father  and  daughter.  The  first  is  just 
what  a  clergyman  should  be ;  of  a  cultivation  and  intelli 
gence  to  fit  him  to  be  any  man's  companion,  and  a  simpli 
city  like  that  of  a  child.  You  remember  his  predecessor — 
so  dissatisfied,  so  selfish,  so  lazy,  so  censorious,  so  unjust 
to  every  person  and  thing  around  him,  and  yet  so  exacting  ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  so " 

"  What?  Thus  far  you  have  drawn  his  character  well  ; 
1  should  like  to  hear  the  remainder." 

"  I  have  said  more  than  I  ought  already ;  for  one  has  an 
idea  that,  by  bringing  a  clergyman  into  disrepute,  it  brings 
religion  and  the  church  into  discredit,  too.  A  priest  must 


ISO  THE     REDSKINS. 

be  a  very  bad  man  to  have  injurious  things  said  of  him,  in 
this  country,  Hugh." 

"  That  is,  perhaps,  true.  But  you  like  Mr.  Warren  better 
than  him  who  has  left  you?" 

"  A  thousand  times,  and  in  all  things.  In  addition  to 
having  a  most  pious  and  sincere  pastor,  we  have  an  agree 
able  and  well-bred  neighbour,  from  whose  mouth,  in  the  five 
years  that  he  has  dwelt  here,  I  have  not  heard  a  syllable  at 
the  expense  of  a  single  fellow-creature.  You  know  how  it 
is  apt  to  be  with  the  other  clergy  and  ours,  in  the  country — 
for  ever  at  swords'  points ;  and  if  not  actually  quarrelling, 
keeping  up  a  hollow  peace." 

"  That  is  only  too  true — or  used  to  be  true,  before  I  went 
abroad." 

"  And  it  is  so  now,  elsewhere,  I  '11  answer  for  it,  though 
it  be  so  no  longer  here.  Mr.  Warren  and  Mr.  Peck  seem 
fo  live  on  perfectly  amicable  terms,  though  as  little  alike  a' 
bottom  as  fire  and  water." 

"  By  the  way,  how  do  the  clergy  of  the  different  sects,  up 
and  down  the  country,  behave  on  the  subject  of  anti-rent  ?" 

"  I  can  answer  only  from  what  I  hear,  with  the  exception 
of  Mr.  Warren's  course.  He  has  preached  two  or  three 
plain  and  severe  sermons  on  the  duty  of  honesty  in  our 
worldly  transactions,  one  of  which  was  from  the  tenth  com 
mandment.  Of  course  he  said  nothing  of  the  particular 
trouble,  but  everybody  must  have  made  the  necessary  ap 
plication  of  the  home-truths  he  uttered.  I  question  if  ano 
ther  voice  has  been  raised,  far  and  near,  on  the  subject, 
although  I  have  heard  Mr.  Warren  say  the  movement 
threatens  more  to  demoralize  New  York  than  anything  that 
has  happened  in  his  time." 

"And  the  man  down  at  the  village?" 

"  Oh,  he  goes,  of  course,  with  the  majority.  When  was 
one  of  that  set  ever  known  to  oppose  his  parish,  in  any 
thing?' 

"  And  Mary  is  as  sound  and  as  high-principled  as  her 
father?" 

"  Quite  so  ;  though  there  has  been  a  good  deal  said  about 
the  necessity  of  Mr.  Warren's  removing,  and  giving  up  St. 
Andrew's,  since  he  preached  against  covetousness.  All  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  18) 

anti-renters  say,  1  hear,  that  they  know  he  meant  them,  and 
that  they,  won't  put  up  with  it." 

"  I  dare  say  ;  each  one  fancying  he  was  almost  called  out 
by  name :  that  is  the  way,  when  conscience  works." 

*'  I  should  be  very,  very  sorry  to  part  with  Mary ;  and 
almost  as  much  so  to  part  with  her  father.  There  is  one 
thing,  however,  that  Mr.  Warren  himself  thinks  we  had  bet 
ter  have  done,  Hugh ;  and  that  is  to  take  down  the  canopy 
from  over  cur  pew.  You  can  have  no  notion  of  the  noise 
that  foolish  canopy  is  making  up  and  down  the  country." 

"  I  shall  not  take  it  down.  It  is  my  property,  and  there 
it  shall  remain.  As  for  the  canopy,  it  was  a  wrong  distinc 
tion  to  place  in  a  church,  I  am  willing  to  allow  ;  but  it  neVer 
gave  offence  until  it  has  been  thought  that  a  cry  against  it 
would  help  to  rob  me  of  my  lands  at  half  price,  or  at  no 
price  at  all,  as  it  may  happen." 

"  All  that  may  be  true ;  but  if  improper  for  a  church,  why 
keep  it?" 

"  Because  I  do  not  choose  to  be  bullied  out  of  what  is  my 
own,  even  though  I  care  nothing  about  it.  There  might 
have  been  a  time  when  the  canopy  was  unsuited  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  that  was  when  those  who  saw  it  might 
fancy  it  canopied  the  head  of  a  fellow-creature  who  had 
higher  claims  than  themselves  to  divine  favour ;  but,  in 
times  like  these,  when  men  estimate  merit  by  beginning  at 
the  other  end  of  the  social  scale,  there  is  little  danger  of 
any  one's  falling  into  the  mistake.  The  canopy  shall  stand, 
little  as  I  care  about  it:  now,  I  would  actually  prefer  it 
should  come  down,  as  I  can  fully  see  the  impropriety  of 
making  any  distinctions  in  the  temple ;  but  it  shall  stand 
until  concessions  cease  to  be  dangerous.  It  is  a  right  of 
property,  and  as  such  I  will  maintain  it.  If  others  dislike 
it,  let  them  put  canopies  over  their  pews,  too.  The  best 
test,  in  such  a  matter,  is  to  see  who  could  bear  it.  A  pretty 
figure  Seneca  Newcome  would  cut,  for  instance,  seated  in 
a  canopied  pew  !  Even  his  own  set  would  laugh  at  him , 
which,  I  fancy,  is  more  than  they  yet  do  at  me." 

Martha  was  disappointed ;  but  she  changed  the  subject. 
We  next  talked  of  our  own  little  private  affairs,  as  they 
were  connected  with  smaller  matters. 

"For  whom  is  that  beautiful  chain  intended,  Hugh?'* 
16 


182  THE     REDSKINS. 

asked  Patt,  laughingly.  "  I  can  now  believe  the  pedlar 
when  he  says  it  is  reserved  for  your  future  wife.  But  who 
is  that  wife  to  be?  Will  her  name  be  Henrietta  or  Ann?" 

"  Why  not  ask,  also,  if  it  will  be  Mary?  —  why  exclude 
one  of  your  companions,  while  you  include  the  other  two  ?" 

Patt  started — seemed  surprised  ;  her  cheeks  flushed,  and 
then  I  saw  that  pleasure  was  the  feeling  predominant. 

"  Am  I  too  late  to  secure  that  jewel,  as  a  pendant  to  my 
chain?"  I  asked,  half  in  jest,  half  seriously. 

"  Too  soon,  at  least,  to  attract  it  by  the  richness  and 
beauty  of  the  bauble.  A  more  natural  and  disinterested 
girl  than  Mary  Warren  does  not  exist  in  the  country." 

trBe  frank  with  me,  Martha,  and  say  at  once ;  has  she  a 
favoured  suitor  ?" 

"  Why,  this  seems  really  serious !"  exclaimed  my  sister, 
laughing.  "  But,  to  put  you  out  of  your  pain,  I  will  answer, 
I  know  of  but  one.  One  she  has  certainly,  or  female  sa 
gacity  is  at  fault." 

"  But  is  he  one  that  is  favoured  ?  You  can  never  know 
how  much  depends  on  your  answer." 

"  Of  that  you  can  judge  for  yourself.  It  is  'Squire  Se- 
neky  Newcome,  as  he  is  called  hereabouts  —  the  brother  of 
the  charming  Opportunity,  who  still  reserves  herself  for 
you." 

"  And  they  are  as  rank  anti-renters  as  any  male  and  fe 
male  in  the  country." 

"  They  are  rank  Newcomites  ;  and  that  means  that  each 
is  for  himself.  Would  you  believe  it,  but  Opportunity  really 
gives  herself  airs  with  Mary  Warren  !" 

"  And  how  does  Mary  Warren  take  such  an  assump 
tion?" 

"  As  a  young  person  should — quietly  and  without  mani 
festing  any  feeling.  But  there  is  something  quite  intolerable 
in  one  like  Opportunity  Newcome's  assuming  a  superiority 
over  any  true  lady !  Mary  is  as  we'll  educated  and  as  well 
connected  as  any  of  us,  and  is  quite  as  much  accustomed  to 
good  company ;  while  Opportunity — "  here  Patt  laughed, 
and  then  added,  hurriedly,  "  but  you  know  Opportunity  as 
well  as  I  do." 

"  Oh !  yes ;  she  is  la  vertue,  or  the  virtue,  and  je  suis 
venue,  pour." 


•        THE     REDSKINS.  133 

The  latter  allusion  Patt  understood  well  enough,  having 
»aughed  over  the  story  a  dozen  times ;  and  she  laughed  again 
when  I  explained  the  affair  of  "  the  solitude." 

Then  came  a  fit  of  sisterly  feeling.  Patt  insisted  on  taking 
off  my  wig,  and  seeing  my  face  in  its  natural  dress.  I 
consented  to  gratify  her,  when  the  girl  really  behaved  like  a 
simpleton.  First  she  pushed  about  my  curls  until  they  were 
arranged  to  suit  the  silly  creature,  when  she  ran  back  seve 
ral  steps,  clapped  her  hands  in  delight,  then  rushed  into  my 
arms  and  kissed  my  forehead  and  eyes,  and  called  me  "  her 
brother" —  her  "  only  brother"  —  her  "  dear,  dear  Hugh," 
and  by  a  number  of  other  such  epithets,  until  she  worked 
herself,  and  me  too,  into  such  an  excess  of  feeling  that  we 
sat  down,  side  by  side,  and  each  had  a  hearty  fit  of  crying. 
Perhaps  some  such  burst  as  this  was  necessary  to  relieve 
our  minds,  and  we  submitted  to  it  wisely. 

My  sister  wept  the  longest,  as  a  matter  of  course ;  but, 
as  soon  as  she  had  dried  her  eyes,  she  replaced  the  wig,  and 
completely  restored  my  disguise,  trembling  the  whole  time 
lest  some  one  might  enter  and  detect  me. 

"  You  have  been  very  imprudent,  Hugh,  in  coming  here 
at  all,"  she  said,  while  thus  busy.  "  You  can  form  no  no 
tion  of  the  miserable  state  of  the  country,  or  how  far  the 
anti-rent  poison  has  extended,  or  the  malignant  nature  of 
its  feeling.  The  annoyances  they  have  attempted  with  dear 
grandmother  are  odious ;  you  they  would  scarcely  leave 
alive." 

"  The  country  and  the  people  must  have  strangely  altered, 
then,  in  five  years.  Our  New  York  population  has  hitherto 
had  very  little  of  the  assassin-like  character.  Tar  and  fea 
thers  are  the  blackguards',  and  have  been  the  petty  tyrants' 
weapons,  from  time  immemorial,  in  this  country ;  but  not 
the  knife." 

"  And  can  anything  sooner  or  more  effectually  alter  a 
people  than  longings  for  the  property  of  others  ?  Is  not  the 
1  love  of  money  the  root  of  all  evil  V  —  and  what  right  have 
we  to  suppose  our  Ravensnest  population  is  better  than  ano 
ther,  when  that  sordid  feeling  is  thoroughly  aroused  ?  You 
know  you  have  written  me  yourself,  that  all  the  American 
can  or  does  live  for  is  money." 

"  I  have  written  you,  dear,  that  the  country,  in  its  pro- 


184  THE     REDSKINS.  * 

sent  condition,  leaves  no  other  incentive  to  exertion,  and 
therein  it  is  cursed.  Military  fame,  military  rank,  even, 
are  unattainable,  under  our  system :  the  arts,  letters  and 
science,  bring  little  or  »o  reward ;  and  there  being  no  poli- 
litical  rank  that  a  man  of  refinement  would  care  for,  men 
must  live  for  money,  or  live  altogether  for  another  state  of 
being.  But  I  have  told  you,  at  the  same  time,  Martha,  that, 
notwithstanding  all  this,  I  believe  the  American  a  less  mer 
cenary  being,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  word,  than  the 
European ;  that  two  men  might  be  bought,  for  instance,  in 
any  European  country,  for  one  here.  This  last  I  suppose 
to  be  the  result  of  the  facility  of  making  a  living,  and  the 
habits  it  produces." 

"  Never  mind  causes  ;  Mr.  "Warren  says  there  is  a  des 
perate  intention  to  rob  existing  among  these  people,  and  that 
they  are  dangerous.  As  yet  they  do  a  little  respect  women, 
but  how  long  they  will  do  that  one  cannot  know." 

"  It  may  all  be  so.  It  must  be  so,  respecting  what  I  have 
heard  and  read  ;  yet  this  vale  looks  as  smiling  and  as  sweet, 
at  this  very  moment,  as  if  an  evil  passion  never  sullied  it ! 
But,  depend  on  my  prudence,  which  tells  me  that  we  ought 
now  to  part.  I  shall  see  you  again  and  again  before  I  quit 
the  estate,  and  you  will,  of  course,  join  us  somewhere  —  at 
the  Springs,  perhaps  —  as  soon  as  we  find  it  necessary  or 
expedient  to  decamp." 

Martha  promised  this,  of  course,  and  I  kissed  her,  pre 
viously  to  separating.  No  one  crossed  my  way  as  I  de 
scended  to  the  piazza,  which  was  easily  done,  since  I  was 
literally  at  home.  I  lounged  about  on  the  lawn  a  few  mi 
nutes,  and  then,  showing  myself  in  front  of  the  library  win 
dows,  I  was  summoned  to  the  room,  as  I  had  expected. 

Uncle  Ro  had  disposed  of  every  article  of  the  fine  jewelry 
that  he  had  brought  home  as.  presents  for  his  wards.  Tho 
pay  was  a  matter  to  be  arranged  with  Mrs.  Littlepage, 
which  meant  no  pay  at  all ;  and,  as  the  donor  afterwards 
told  me,  he  liked  this  mode  of  distributing  the  various  orna 
ments  better  than  presenting  them  himself,  as  he  was  now 
certain  each  girl  had  consulted  her  own  fancy. 

As  the  hour  of  the  regular  dinner  was  approaching1,  we 
took  our  leave  soon  after,  not  without  receiving  kind  and 
pressing  invitations  to  visit  the  Nest  again  ere  we  left  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  185 

township.  Of  course  we  promised  all  that  was  required, 
intending  most  faithfully  to  comply.  On  quitting  the  house 
we  returned  towards  the  farm,  though  not  without  pausing 
on  the  lawn  to  gaze  around  us  on  a  scene  so  dear  to  both, 
from  recollection,  association,  and  interest.  But  I  forget, 
this  is  aristocratical ;  the  landlord  has  no  right  to  senti 
ments  of  this  nature,  which  are  feelings  that  the  sublimated 
liberty  of  the  law  is  beginning  to  hold  in  reserve  solely  for 
the  benefit  of  the  tenant ! 


CHAPTER  XII. 

««  There  shall  be,  in  England,  seven  half-penny  loaves  sold  for  a 
penny:  the  three-hooped  pot  shall  have  ten  hoops;  and  I  will  make 
it  felony  to  drink  small  beer  :  all  the  realm  shall  be  in  common,  and 
in  Cheapside  shall  my  palfrey  go  to  grass." 

'  Jack  Cade. 

"  1  DO  not  see,  sir,"  I  remarked,  as  we  moved  on  from 
the  last  of  these  pauses,  "  why  the  governors  and  legisla 
tors,  and  writers  on  this  subject  of  anti-rentism,  talk  so 
much  of  feudality,  and  chickens,  and  days'  works,  and  du 
rable  leases,  when  we  have  none  of  these,  while  we  have 
all  the  disaffection  they  are  said  to  produce." 

"  You  will  understand  that  better  as  you  come  to  know 
more  of  men.  No  party  alludes  to  its  weak  points.  It  is 
just  as  you  say ;  but  the  proceedings  of  your  tenants,  for 
instance,  give  the  lie  to  the  theories  of  the  philanthropists, 
and  must  be  kept  in  the  back-ground.  It  is  true  that  the 
disaffection  has  not  yet  extended  to  one-half,  or  to  one-fourth 
of  the  leased  estates  in  the  country,  perhaps  not  to  one-tenth, 
if  you  take  the  number  of  the  landlords  as  the  standard,  in- 
stead  of  the  extent  of  their  possessions,  but  it  certainly  will, 
should  the  authorities  tamper  with  the  rebels  much  longer." 

"  If  they  tax  the  incomes  of  the  landlords  under  the  dura 
ble  rent  system,  why  would  not  the  parties  aggrieved  have 


186  THE     REDSKINS. 

the  same  right  to  take  up  arms  to  resist  such  an  act  of  op 
pression  as  our  fathers  had,  in  1776  ?" 

"  Their  cause  would  be  better ;  for  that  was  only  a  con- 
structive  right,  and  one  dependent  on  general  principles, 
whereas  this  is  an  attempt  at  a  most  mean  evasion  of  a  writ 
ten  law,  the  meanness  of  the  attempt  being  quite  as  culpable 
as  its  fraud.  Every  human  being  knows  that  such  a  tax, 
so  far  as  it  has  any  object  beyond  that  of  an  election-sop, 
is  to  choke  off  the  landlords  from  the  maintenance  of  their 
covenants,  which  is  a  thing  that  no  State  can  do  directly, 
without  running  the  risk  of  having  its  law  pronounced  un 
constitutional  by  the  courts  of  the  United  States,  if,  indeed, 
not  by  its  own  courts." 

"The  Court  of  Errors,  think  you?" 

"  The  Court  of  Errors  is  doomed,  by  its  own  abuses. 
Catiline  never  abused  the  patience  of  Rome  more  than  that 
mongrel  assembly  has  abused  the  patience  of  every  sound 
lawyer  in  the  State.  "  Fiat  justitia,  ruat  coelum,"  is  inter 
preted,  now,  into  "  Let  justice  be  done,  and  the  court  fall." 
No  one  wishes  to  see  it  continued,  and  the  approaching  con« 
vention  will  send  it  to  the  Capulets,  if  it  do  nothing  else  to 
be  commended.  It  was  a  pitiful  imitation  of  the  House  of 
Lords  system,  with  this  striking  difference :  the  English 
lords  are  men  of  education,  and  men  with  a  vast  deal  at 
stake,  and  their  knowledge  "and  interests  teach  them  to  leave 
the  settlement  of  appeals  to  the  legal  men  of  their  body,  of 
whom  there  are  always  a  respectable  number,  in  addition 
to  those  in  possession  of  the  woolsack  and  the  bench ; 
whereas  our  Senate  is  a  court  composed  of  small  lawyers, 
country  doctors,  merchants,  farmers,  with  occasionally  a 
man  of  really  liberal  attainments.  Under  the  direction  of 
an  acute  and  honest  judge,  as  most  of  our  true  judges  actu 
ally  are,  the  Court  of  Errors  would  hardly  form  such  a  jury 
as  would  allow  a  creditable  person  to  be  tried  by  his  peers, 
in  a  case  affecting  character,  for  instance,  and  here  we  have 
it  set  up  as  a  court  of  the  last  resort,  to  settle  points  of 
law!" 

u  I  see  it  has  just  made  a  decision  in  a  libel  suit,  at  which 
the  profession  sneers." 

"  It  has,  indeed.  Now  look  at  that  very  decision,  for  in- 
stance,  as  the  measure  of  its  knowledge.  An  editor  of  a 


THE     REDSKINS.  187 

newspaper  holds  up  a  literary  man  to  the  world  as  one  anx 
ious  to  obtain  a  small  sum  of  money,  in  order  to  put  it  into 
Wall  street,  for  « shaving  purposes.'  Now,  the  only  ma 
terial  question  raised  was  the  true  signification  of  the  word 
shaving.'  If  to  say  a  man  is  a  '  shaver,'  in  the  sense 
in  which  it  is  applied  to  the  use  of  money,  be  bringing  him 
into  discredit,  then  was  the  plaintiff's  declaration  sufficient; 
if  not,  it  was  insufficient,  being  wanting  in  what  is  called  an 
*  innuendo.'  The  dictionaries,  and  men  in  general,  under 
stand  by  'shaving,'  'extortion,'  and  nothing  else.  To 
call  a  man  a  '  shaver'  is  to  say  he  is  an  '  extortioner,'  with 
out  going  into  details.  But,  in  Wall  street,  and  among  mo 
ney-dealers,  certain  transactions  that,  in  their  eyes,  and  by 
the  courts,  are  not  deemed  discreditable,  have  of  late  been 
brought  within  the  category  of  '  shaving.'  Thus  it  is  tech 
nically,  or  by  convention  among  brokers,  termed  "  shaving" 
if  a  man  buy  a  note  at  less  than  its  face,  which  is  a  legal 
transaction.  On  the  strength  of  this  last  circumstance,  as 
is  set  forth  in  the  published  opinions,  the  highest  Court  of 
Appeals  in  New  York  has  decided  it  does  not  bring  a  man 
into  discredit  to  say  he  is  a  '  shaver !' — thus  making  a  con 
ventional  signification  of  the  brokers  of  Wall  street  higher 
authority  for  the  use  of  the  English  tongue  than  the  standard 
lexicographers,  and  all  the  rest  of  those  who  use  the  lan 
guage !  On  the  same  principle,  if  a  set  of  pick-pockets,  at 
the  Five  Points,  should  choose  to  mystify  their  trade  a  little 
by  including  in  the  term  « to  filch'  the  literal  borrowing  of 
a  pocket-handkerchief,  it  would  not  be  a  libel  to  accuse  a 
citizen  of 'filching  his  neighbour's  handkerchief!'  " 

"  But  the  libel  was  uttered  to  the  world,  and  not  to  the 
brokers  of  Wall  street  only,  who  might  possibly  understand 
their  own  terms." 

"  Very  true ;  and  was  uttered  in  a  newspaper  that  car 
ried  the  falsehood  to  Europe ;  for  the  writer  of  the  charge, 
when  brought  up  for  it,  publicly  admitted  that  he  had  no 
ground  for  suspecting  the  literary  man  of  any  such  prac 
tices.  He  called  it  a  ljo?ceS  Every  line  of  the  context, 
however,  showed  it  was  a  malicious  charge.  The  decision 
is  very  much  as  if  a  man  who  is  sued  for  accusing  another 
of  •  stealing'  should  set  up  a  defence  that  he  meant  '  stealing* 
hearts,  for  the  word  is  sometimes  used  in  that  sense.  When 


188  THE     REDSKINS. 

men  use  epithets  that  convey  discredit  in  their  general  mean 
ing,  it  is  their  business  to  give  them  a  special  signification 
in  their  own  contexts,  if  such  be  their  real  intention.  Bui 
I  much  question  if  there  be  a  respectable  money-dealer,  even 
in  Wall  street,  who  would  not  swear,  if  called  on  in  a  court 
of  justice  so  to  do,  that  lie  thought  the  general  charge  of 
*  shaving'  discreditable  to  any  man." 

"  And  you  think  the  landlords  whose  rents  were  taxed, 
sir,  would  have  a  moral  right  to  resist  ?" 

"  Beyond  all  question  ;  as  it  would  be  an  income  tax  on 
them  only,  of  all  in  the  country.  What  is  more,  I  am  fully 
persuaded  that  two  thousand  men  embodied  to  resist  such 
tyranny  would  look  down  the  whole  available  authority  of 
the  State ;  inasmuch  as  I  do  not  believe  citizens  could  be 
found  to  take  up  arms  to  enforce  a  law  so  flagrantly  unjust. 
Men  will  look  on  passively  and  see  wrongs  inflicted,  that 
would  never  come  out  to  support  them  by  their  own  acts. 
But  we  are  approaching  the  farm,  and  there  is  Tom  Miller 
and  his  hired  men  waiting  our  arrival." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat,  in  detail,  all  that  passed  in 
this  our  second  visit  to  the  farm-house.  Miller  received  us 
m  a  friendly  manner,  and  offered  us  a  bed,  if  we  would  pass 
the  night  with  him.  This  business  of  a  bed  had  given  us 
more  difficulty  than  anything  else,  in  the  course  of  our  pe 
regrinations.  New  York  has  long  got  over  the  "  two-man" 
and  "  three-man  bed"  system,  as  regards  its  best  inns.  At 
no  respectable  New  York  inn  is  a  gentleman  now  asked  to 
share  even  his  room,  without  an  apology  and  a  special  ne 
cessity,  with  another,  much  less  his  bed ;  but  the  rule  does 
not  hold  good  as  respects  pedlars  and  music-grinders.  We 
had  ascertained  that  we  were  not  only  expected  to  share 
the  same  bed,  but  to  occupy  that  bed  in  a  room  filled  with 
other  beds.  There  are  certain  things  that  get  to  be  second 
nature,  and  that  no  masquerading  will  cause  to  go  down ; 
and,  among  others,  one  gets  to  dislike  sharing  his,  room  and 
his  tooth-brush.  This  little  difficulty  gave  us  more  trouble 
that  night,  at  Tom  Miller's,  than  anything  we  had  yet  en 
countered.  At  the  taverns,  bribes  had  answered  our  pur 
pose  ;  but  this  would  not  do  so  well  at  a  farm  residence. 
At  length  the  matter  was  got  along  with  by  putting  me  in 
the  garret,  where  I  was  favoured  with  a  straw  bed  under 


THE     REDSKINS.  189 

my  own  roof,  the  decent  Mrs.  Miller  making  many  apolo 
gies  for  not  having  a  feather-smotherer,  in  which  to  "  squash" 
me.  I  did  not  tell  the  good  woman  that  I  never  used  fea 
thers,  summer  or  winter  ;  for,  had  I  done  so,  she  would  have 
set  me  down  as  a  poor  creature  from  "  oppressed"  Germany, 
where  the  "  folks"  did  not  know  how  to  live.  Nor  would 
she  have  been  so  much  out  of  the  way  quoad  the  beds,  for 
in  all  my  journeyings  I  never  met  with  such  uncomfortable 
sleeping  as  one  finds  in  Germany,  off  the  Rhine  and  out  of 
the  large  towns,* 

While  the  negotiation  was  in  progress  I  observed  that 
Josh  Brigham,  as  the  anti-rent  disposed  hireling  of  Miller's 
was  called,  kept  a  watchful  eye  and  an  open  ear  on  what 
was  done  and  said.  Of  all  men  on  earth,  the  American  of 
that  class  is  the  most  "  distrustful,"  as  he  calls  it  himself, 
and  has  his  suspicions  the  soonest  awakened.  The  Indian 
on  the  war-path  —  the  sentinel  who  is  posted  in  a  fog,  near 
nis  enemy,  an  hour  before  the  dawn  of  day  —  the  husband 
that  is  jealous,  or  the  priest  that  has  become  a  partisan,  is 
not  a  whit  more  apt  to  fancy,  conjecture,  or  assert,  than  the 
American  of  that  class  who  has  become  "  distrustful."  This 
fellow,  Brigham,  was  the  very  beau  ideal  of  the  suspicious 
school,  being  envious  and  malignant,  as  well  as  shrewd, 
observant,  and  covetous.  The  very  fact  that  he  was  con 
nected  with  the  "  Injins,"  as  turned  out  to  be  the  case,  added 
to  his  natural  propensities  the  consciousness  of  guilt,  and 
rendered  him  doubly  dangerous.  The  whole  time  my  uncle 
and  myself  were  crossing  over  and  figuring  in,  in  order  to 
procure  for  each  a  room,  though  it  were  only  a  closet,  his 
watchful,  distrustful  looks  denoted  how  much  he  saw  in  our 
movements  to  awaken  curiosity,  if  not  downright  suspicion. 
When  all  was  over,  he  followed  me  to  the  little  lawn  in 
front  of  the  house,  whither  I  had  gone  to  look  at  the  fami 
liar  scene  by  the  light  of  the  setting  sun,  and  began  to  be 
tray  the  nature  of  his  own  suspicions  by  his  language. 

"  The  old  man"  (meaning  my  uncle  Ro)  "  must  havo 
plenty  of  gold  watches  about  him,"  he  said,  "  to  be  so  plaguy 

*  As  the  "honourable  gentleman  from  Albany"  does  not  seem  to 
understand  the  precise  signification  of"  provincial,"  I  can  tell  him  that 
one  sign  of  such  a  character  is  to  admire  a  bed  at  an  American  coun 
try  inn. — EDITOH. 


190  THE     REDSKINS. 

parfic'lar  consarnin'  his  bed.    Pedlin'  sich  matters  is  a  tick 
lish  trade,  I  guess,  in  some  parts  ?" 

"  Ja ;  it  ist  dangerous  somevhere,  but  it  might  not  be  so 
in  dis  goot  coontry." 

"  Why  did  the  old  fellow,  then,  try  so  hard  to  get  that 
Httle  room  all  to  himself,  and  shove  you  off  into  the  garret] 
We  hired  men  don't  like  the  garret,  which  is  a  hot  place  in 
summer." 

"  In  Charmany  one  man  hast  ever  one  bed,"  I  answered, 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  the  subject. 

I  bounced  a  little,  as  "  one  has  one-half  of  a  bed"  would 
be  nearer  to  the  truth,  though  the  other  half  might  be  in 
another  room. 

"Oh!  that's  it,  is't?  Wa-a-1,  every  country  has  its 
ways,  I  s'pose.  Jarmany  is  a  desp'ate  aristocratic  land,  I 
take  it." 

"  Ja  ;  dere  ist  moch  of  de  old  feudal  law,  and  feudal  coos- 
turn  still  remaining  in  Charmany." 

"  Landlords  a  plenty,  I  guess,  if  the  truth  was  known. 
Leases  as  long  as  my  arm,  I  calkerlate  ?" 

"Veil,  dey  do  dink,  in  Charmany,  dat  de  longer  might 
oe  de  lease,  de  better  it  might  be  for  de  <3enant." 

As  that  was  purely  a  German  sentiment,  or  at  least  not 
an  American  sentiment,  according  to  the  notions  broached 
by  statesmen  among  ourselves,  I  made  it  as  Dutch  as  pos 
sible  by  garnishing  it  well  with  d's. 

"  That 's  a  droll  idee  !  Now,  we  think,  here,  that  a  lease 
is  a  bad  thing ;  and  the  less  you  have  of  a  bad  thing,  the 
better." 

"  Veil,  dat  ist  queer ;  so  queer  ast  I  don't  know  !  Vhat 
vill  dey  do  as  might  help  it?" 

"Oh!  the  Legislature  will  set  it  all  right.  They  mean 
to  pass  a  law  to  prevent  any  more  leases  at  all." 

"  Und  vill  de  beople  stand  dat?  Dis  ist  a  free  coontry, 
efTery  body  dells  me,  and  vilt  der  beoples  agree  not  to  hire 
lands  if  dey  vants  to?" 

"  Oh  !  you  see  we  wish  to  choke  the  landlords  off  from 
their  present  leases ;  and,  by  and  bye,  when  that  is  done, 
the  law  can  let  up  again." 

"  But  ist  dat  right  ?  Der  law  should  be  joost,  und  not 
hold  down  und  let  oop,  as  you  calls  it." 


THE    REDSKINS.  191 

"  You  don't  understand  us  yet,  I  see.  Why  that 's  the 
prettiest  and  the  neatest  legislation  on  airth  !  That 's  just 
what  the  bankrupt  law  did." 

"  Vhat  did  der  bankroopt  law  do,  bray  1  Vhat  might  you 
njean  now?  —  I  don't  know." 

"  Do  !  why  it  did  wonders  for  some  on  us,  I  can  tell  you  ! 
It  paid  our  debts,  and  let  us  up  when  we  was  down ;  and 
that 's  no  trifle,  I  can  tell  you.  I  took  '  the  benefit,'  as  it  is 
called,  myself." 

"  You  !  —  you  might  take  der  benefit  of  a  bankroopt 
law !  You,  lifing  here  ast  a  hiret  man,  on  dis  farm !" 

"  Sartain  ;  why  not?  All  a  man  wanted,  under  that  law, 
was  about  860  to  carry  him  through  the  mill;  and  if  he 
could  rake  and  scrape  that  much  together,  he  might  wipe 
off  as  long  a  score  as  he  pleased.  I  had  been  dealin'  in 
speckylation,  and  that 's  a  make  or  break  business,  I  can 
tell  you.  Well,  I  got  to  be'  about  $423.22  wuss  than  no- 
thin'  ;  but,  having  about  $90  in  hand,  I  went  through  the 
mill  without  getting  cogged  the  smallest  morsel !  A  man 
doos  a  good  business,  to  my  notion,  when  he  can  make  20 
cents  pay  a  whull  dollar  of  debt." 

"  Und  you  did  dat  goot  business  ?" 

"  You  may  say  that ;  and  now  I  means  to  make  anti- 
rentism  get  me  a  farm  cheap — what  /call  cheap;  and  that 
an't  none  of  your  $30  or  $40  an  acre,  I  can  tell  you  !" 

It  was  quite  clear  that  Mr.  Joshua  Brigham  regarded 
These  transactions  as  so  many  Pragmatic  Sanctions,  that 
were  to  clear  the  moral  and  legal  atmospheres  of  any  atoms 
of  difficulty  that  might  exist  in  the  forms  of  old  opinions,  to 
his  getting  easily  out  of  debt,  in  the  one  case,  and  suddenly 
rich  in  the  other.  I  dare  say  I  looked  bewildered,  but  I 
certainly  felt  so,  at  thus  finding  myself  face  to  face  with  a 
low  knave,  who  had  a  deliberate  intention,  as  I  now  found, 
to  rob  me  of  a  farm.  It  is  certain  that  Joshua  so  imagined, 
for,  inviting  me  to  walk  down  the  road  with  him  a  short  dis 
tance,  he  endeavoured  to  clear  up  any  moral  difficulties  that 
mighf  beset  me,  by  pursuing  the  subject. 

"  You  see,"  resumed  Joshua,  "  I  will  tell  you  how  it  is. 
These  Littlepages  have  had  this  land  long  enough,  and  it's 
time  to  give  poor  folks  a  chance.  The  young  spark  that 
pretends  to  own  all  the  farms  you  see,  far  and  near,  never 


192  THE    REDSKINS. 

did  any  thing  for  'em  in  his  life ;  only  to  be  his  father's 
son.  Now,  to  my  notion,  a  man  should  do  suthin'  for  his 
land,  and  not  be  obligated  for  it  to  mere  natur'.  This  is  a 
free  country,  and  what  right  has  one  man  to  land  more  than 
another  ?" 

"  Or  do  his  shirt  or  do  his  dobacco,  or  do  his  coat,  or  do 
anyding  else." 

"  Well,  I  don't  go  as  far  as  that.  A  man  has  a  right  to 
his  clothes,  and  maybe  to  a  horse  or  a  cow,  but  he  has  no 
right  to  all  the  land  in  creation.  The  law  gives  a  right  to 
a  cow  as  ag'in'  execution."  9 

"  Und  doesn't  der  law  gif  a  right  to  der  landt,  too  ?  You 
most  not  depend  on  der  law,  if  you  might  succeed." 

"  We  like  to  get  as  much  law  as  we  can  on  our  side. 
Americans  like  law  :  now,  you  '11  read  in  all  the  books — our 
books,  I  mean,  them  that 's  printed  here — that  the  Ameri 
cans  be  the  most  lawful  people  on  airth,  and  that  they  '11  do 
more  for  the  law  than  any  other  folks  known !" 

"  Veil,  dat  isn't  vhat  dey  says  of  der  Americans  in  Eu 
rope  ;  nein,  nein,  dey  might  not  say  dat." 

"  Why,  don't  you  think  it  is  so?  Don't  you  think  this 
the  greatest  country  on  airth,  and  the  most  lawful?" 

"  Veil,  I  don'ts  know.  Das  coontry  ist  das  coontry,  und 
it  ist  vhat  it  ist,  you  might  see." 

"  Yes ;  I  thought  you  would  be  of  my  way  of  thinking, 
when  we  got  to  understand  each  other."  Nothing  is  easier 
than  to  mislead  an  American  on  the  estimate  foreigners 
place  on  them :  in  this  respect  they  are  the  most  deluded 
people  living,  though,  in  other  matters,  certainly  among  the 
shrewdest.  "That's  the  way  with  acquaintances,  at  first; 
they  don't  always  understand  one  another :  and  then  you 
talk  a  little  thick,  like.  But  now,  friend,  I  '11  come  to  the 
p'int  —  but  first  swear  you  'II  not  betray  me." 

"  Ja,  ja  —  I  oonderstandst ;  I  most  schwear  I  won't  be- 
dray  you  :  das  ist  goot." 

"But,  hold  up  your  hand.  Stop;  of  what  religion  be 
you  ?" 

"  Gristian,  to  be  sure.  I  might  not  be  a  Chew.  Nein, 
nein  ;  T  am  a  ferry  bat  Gristian." 

"  We  are  all  bad  enough,  for  that  matter;  but  I  lay  no 
stress  on  that.  A  little  of  the  devil  in  a  man  helps  him 


THE     REDSKINS.  193 

along,  in  this  business  of  ourn.  But  you  must  be  suthin' 
more  than  a  Christian,  I  s'pose,  as  we  don't  call  that  bein' 
of  any  religion  at  all,  in  this  country.  Of  what  supportin1 
religion  be  you  ?" 

"  Soobortin' ;  veil,  I  might  not  oonderstands  dat.  Vhat 
ist  soobortin'  religion  ?  Coomes  dat  vrom  Melanchton  und 
Luther?  —  or  coomes  it  vrom  der  Pope?  Vhat  ist  dat  soo 
bortin'  religion  ?" 

"Why,  what  religion  do  you  patronize?  Do  you  pa 
tronize  the  standin' order,  or  the  kneelin' order?  —  or  do 
you  patronize  neither?  Some  folks  thinks  its  best  to  lie 
down  at  prayer,  as  the  least  likely  to  divart  the  thoughts." 

"  I  might  not  oonderstand.  But  nefer  mindt  der  religion, 
und  coome  to  der  p'int  dat  you  mentioned." 

"  Well,  that  p'int  is  this.  You  're  a  Jarman,  and  can't 
like  aristocrats,  and  so  I  '11  trust  you  ;  though,  if  you  dc 
betray  me,  you  '11  never  play  on  another  bit  of  music  in  this 
country,  or  any  other !  If  you  want  to  be  an  Injin,  as  good 
an  opportunity  will  offer  to-morrow  as  ever  fell  in  a  man's 
way !" 

"  An  Injin !  Vhat  goot  vill  it  do  to  be  an  Injin  ?  I 
dought  it  might  be  better  to  be  a  vhite  man,  in  America  ?" 

"  Oh  !  I  mean  only  an  anti-rent  Injin.  We  've  got  mat 
ters  so  nicely  fixed  now,  that  a  chap  can  be  an  Injin  with 
out  any  paint  at  all,  or  any  washin'  or  scrubbin',  but  can 
convart  himself  into  himself  ag'in,  at  any  time,  in  two  mi 
nutes.  The  wages  is  good  and  the  work  light;  then  we 
have  rare  chances  in  the  stores,  and  round  about  among  the 
farms.  The  law  is  that  an  Injin  must  have  what  he  wants, 
and  no  grumblin',  and  we  take  care  to  want  enough.  If 
you  '11  be  at  the  meetin',  I  '11  tell  you  how  you  '11  know  me." 

"  Ja,  ja — dat  ist  goot;  I  vill  be  at  der  meetin',  sartainly. 
Vhere  might  it  be?" 

"  Down  at  the  village.  The  word  came  up  this  a'ter- 
noon,  and  we  shall  all  be  on  the  ground  by  ten  o'clock." 

"  Vilt  der  be  a  fight,  dat  you  meet  so  bunctually,  and  wid 
so  moch  spirit?" 

"  Fight !  Lord,  no ;  who  is  there  to  fight,  I  should  like  to 
know  ?  We  are  pretty  much  all  ag'in  the  Littlepages,  and 
there  ?s  none  of  them  on  the  ground  but  two  or  three  wo 
men.  I  '11  tell  vou  how  it 's  all  settled.  The  meetin'  is 
17 


194  THE     REDSKINS. 

called  on  the  deliberative  and  liberty-supportin'  plan.  ] 
s'pose  you  know  we  've  all  sorts  of  meetin's  in  this  coun 
try  ?" 

"  Nein ;  I  dought  dere  might  be  meetin's  for  bolitics, 
vhen  der  beople  might  coome,  but  I  don't  know  vhat  else." 

"  Is 't  possible  !  What,  have  you  no  « indignation  meetinV 
in  Jarmany?  We  count  a  great  deal  on  our  indignation 
meetin's,  and  both  sides  have  'em  in  abundance,  when  things 
get  to  be  warm.  Our  meetin'  to-morrow  is  for  deliberation 
and  liberty-principles  generally.  We  may  pass  some  indig 
nation  resolutions  about  aristocrats,  for  nobody  can  bear 
them  critturs  in  this  part  of  the  country,  I  can  tell  you." 

Lest  this  manuscript  should  get  into  the  hands  of  somo 
of  those  who  do  not  understand  the  real  condition  of  New 
York  society,  it  may  be  well  to  explain  that  "  aristocrat" 
means,  in  the  parlance  of  the  country,  no  other  than  a  man 
of  gentleman-like  tastes,  habits,  opinions  and  associations. 
There  are  gradations  among  the  aristocracy  of  the  State,  as 
well  as  among  other  men.  Thus  he  who  is  an  aristocrat  in 
a  hamlet,  would  be  very  democratic  in  a  village ;  and  he 
of  the  village  might  be  no  aristocrat  in  the  town,  at  all ; 
though,  in  the  towns  generally,  indeed  always,  when  their 
population  has  the  least  of  a  town  character,  the  distinction 
ceases  altogether,  men  quietly  dropping  into  the  traces  of 
civilized  society,  and  talking  or  thinking  very  little  about 
it.  To  see  the  crying  evils  of  American  aristocracy,  then, 
one  must  go  into  the  country.  There,  indeed,  a  plenty  of 
cases  exist.  Thus,  if  there  happen  to  be  a  man  whose  pro- 
perty  is  assessed  at  twenty-five  per  cent,  above  that  of  all 
his  neighbours  —  who  must  have  right  on  his  side  bright  as 
a  cloudless  sun  to  get  a  verdict,  if  obliged  to  appeal  to  the 
laws  —  who  pays  fifty  per  cent,  more  for  everything  he 
buys,  and  receives  fifty  per  cent,  less  for  everything  he 
sells,  than  any  other  person  near  him  —  who  is  surrounded 
by  rancorous  enemies,  in  the  midst  of  a  seeming  state  of 
peace  —  who  has  everything  he  says  and  does  perverted, 
and  added  to,  and  lied  about  —  who  is  traduced  because  his 
dinner-hour  is  later  than  that  of  "other  folks"  —  who  don't 
stoop,  but  is  straight  in  the  back  —  who  presumes  to  doubt 
that  this  country  in  general,  and  his  own  township  in  par 
ticular,  is  the  focus  of  civilization  —  who  hesitates  about 


THE     REDSKINS.  195 

signing  his  name  to  any  flagrant  instance  of  ignorance,  bad 
taste,  or  worse  morals,  that  his  neighbours  may  get  up  in 
the  shape  of  a  petition,  remonstrance,  or  resolution — depend 
on  it  that  man  is  a  prodigious  aristocrat,  and  one  who,  for 
his  many  offences  and  manner  of  lording  it  over  mankind, 
deserves  to  be  banished.  I  ask  the  reader's  pardon  for  so 
abruptly  breaking  in  upon  Joshua's  speech,  but  such  very 
different  notions  exist  about  aristocrats,  in  different  parts  of 
the  world,  that  some  such  explanation  was  necessary  in 
order  to  prevent  mistakes.  I  have  forgotten  one  mark  of 
the  tribe  that  is,  perhaps,  more  material- than  all  the  rest, 
which  must  not  be  omitted,  and  is  this:  —  If  he  happen  to 
be  a  man  who  prefers  his  own  pursuits  to  public  life,  and  is 
regardless  of  "  popularity,"  he  is  just  guilty  of  the  unpar 
donable  sin.  The  "  people"  will  forgive  anything  sooner 
than  this ;  though  there  are  "  folks"  who  fancy  it  as  infal 
lible  a  sign  of  an  aristocrat  not  to  chew  tobacco.  But,  un 
less  I  return  to  Joshua,  the  reader  will  complain  that  I  cause 
him  to  stand  still. 

"  No,  no,"  continued  Mr.  Brigham ;  "  anything  but  an 
aristocrat  for  me.  I  hate  the  very  name  of  the  -sarpents, 
and  wish  there  warn't  one  in  the  land.  To-morrow  we  are 
to  have  a  great  anti-rent  lecturer  out " 

"A  vhat?" 

"  A  lecturer ;  one  that  lectur's,  you  understand,  on  anti- 
rentism,  temperance,  aristocracy,  government,  or  any  other 
grievance  that  may  happen  to  be  uppermost.  Have  you 
no  lecturers  in  Jarmany  ?" 

"Ja,  Ja;  dere  ist  lecturers  in  das  universities  —  blenty 
ofdem." 

"  Well,  we  have  'em  universal  and  partic'lar,  as  we  hap 
pen  to  want  'em.  To-morrow  we're  to  have  one,  they  tell 
me,  the  smartest  man  that  has  appeared  in  the  cause.  He 
goes  it  strong,  and  the  Injins  mean  to  back  him  up,  with  all 
sorts  of  shrieks  and  whoopin's.  Your  hurdy-gurdy,  there, 
makes  no  sort  of  music  to  what  our  tribe  can  make  when 
we  fairly  open  our  throats." 

"  Veil,  dis  ist  queer !  I  vast  told  dat  der  Americans  vast 
all  philosophers,  und  dat  all  dey  didt  vast  didt  in  a  t'ought- 
ful  and  sober  manner;  und  now  you  dells  mo  dey  screams 
deir  arguments  like  Injins  !" 


196  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  That  we  do !  I  wish  you  'd  been  here  in  the  hard-cider 
and  log-cabin  times,  and  you  'd  a  seen  reason  and  philoso 
phy,  as  you  call  it!  I  was  a  whig  that  summer,  though  I 
went  democrat  last  season.  There's  about  five  hundred  on 
us  in  this  county  that  make  the  most  of  things,  I  can  tell 
\ou..  What's  the  use  of  a  vote,  if  a  body  gets  nothin'  bv 
it?  But  to-morrow  you '11  see  the  business  done  up,  ana 
matters  detarmined  for  this  part  of  the  world,  in  fine  style. 
We  know  what  we're  about,  and  we  mean  to  carry  things 
through  quite  to  the  eend." 

"  Und  vhat  do  you  means  to  do?" 

"  Well,  seein'  that  you  seem  to  be  of  the  right  sort,  and 
be  so  likely  to  put  on  the  Injin  shirt,  I  '11  tell  you  all  about 
it.  We  mean  to  get  good  and  old  farms  at  favourable  rates. 
That's  what  we  mean  to  do.  The  people's  up  and  in  'ar- 
nest,  and  what  the  people  want  they'll  have!  This  time 
they  want  farms,  and  farms  they  must  have.  What's  the 
use  of  havin'  a  government  of  the  people,  if  the  people's 
obliged  to  want  farms?  We've  begun  ag'in'  the  Renssa- 
laers,  and  the  durables,  and  the  quarter-sales,  and  the  chick 
ens  ;  but  we  don't,  by  no  manner  of  means,  think  of  eending 
there.  What  should  we  get  by  that?  A  man  wants  to  get 
suthin'  when  he  puts  his  foot  into  a  matter  of  this  natur'. 
We  know  who's  our  fri'nds  and  who's  our  inimies!  Could 
we  have  some  men  I  could  name  for  governors,  all  would 
go  clear  enough  the  first  winter.  We  would  tax  the  land 
lords  out,  and  law  'em  about  in  one  way  and  another,  so  as 
to  make  'em  right  down  glad  to  sell  the  last  rod  of  their 
lands,  and  that  cheap,  too !" 

"  Und  who  might  own  dese  farms,  all  oop  und  down  der 
coontry,  dat  I  sees  ?" 

"  As  the  law  now  stands,  Littlepage  owns  'em  ;  but  if  we 
alter  the  law  enough,  he  wun't.  If  we  can  only  work  the 
Legislature  up  to  the  stickin'  p'int,  we  shall  get  all  we  want. 
Would  you  believe  it,  the  man  wun't  sell  a  single  farm,  they 
say  ;  but  wishes  to  keep  every  one  on  'em  for  himself!  Is 
that  to  be  borne  in  a  free  country?  They'd  hardly  stand 
That  in  Jarmany,  I  'm  thinkin'.  A  man  that  is  such  an  aris 
tocrat  as  to  refuse  to  sell  anything,  I  despise." 

««  Veil,  dey  stand  to  der  laws  in  Charmany,  und  broperty 


THE     REDSKINS.  197 

'is  respected  in  most  coontries.  You  vouldn't  do  away  wia 
der  rights  of  broperty,  if  you  mights,  I  hopes'!" 

"  Not  I.  If  a  man  owns  a  watch,  or  a  horse,  or  a  cow, 
I  'm  for  having  the  law  such  that  a  poor  man  can  keep  'em, 
even  ag'in  execution.  We  're  getting  the  laws  pretty  straight 
on  them  p'ints,  in  old  York,  I  can  tell  you ;  a  poor  man,  let 
him  be  ever  so  much  in  debt,  can  hold  on  to  a  mighty  smart  lot. 
of  things,  now-a-days,  and  laugh  at  the  law  right  in  its  face  ! 
I  've  known  chaps  that  owed  as  much  as  8200,  hold  on  to 
as  good  as  8300 ;  though  most  of  their  debts  was  for  the 
very  things  they  held  on  to  !"• 

What  a  picture  is  this,  yet  is  it  not  true?  A  state  of  so 
ciety  in  which  a  man  can  contract  a  debt  for  a  cow,  or  his 
household  goods,  and  laugh  at  his  creditor  when  he  seeks 
his  pay,  on  the  one  hand ;  and  on  the  other,  legislators  and 
executives  lending  themselves  to  the  chicanery  of  another 
set,  that  are  striving  to  deprive  a  particular  class  of  its  rights 
of  property,  directly  in  the  face  of  written  contracts  !  This 
is  straining  at  the  gnat  and  swallowing  the  camel,  with  a 
vengeance  ;  and  all  for  votes  !  Does  any  one  really  expect 
a  community  can  long  exist,  favoured  by  a  wise  and  justice- 
dispensing  Providence,  in  which  such  things  are  coolly  at 
tempted —  ay,  and  coolly  done?  It  is  time  that  the  Ameri 
can  began  to  see  things  as  they  are,  and  not  as  they  are 
said  to  be,  in  the  speeches  of  governors,  fourth  of  July  ora 
tions,  and  electioneering  addresses.  I  write  warmly,  I  know, 
but  I  feel  warmly ;  and  I  write  like  a  man  who  sees  that  a 
most  flagitious  attempt  to  rob  him  is  tampered  with  by  some 
in  power,  instead  of  being  met,1  as  the  boasted  morals  and 
intelligence  of  the  country  would  require,  by  the  stern  op 
position  of  all  in  authority.  Curses  —  deep,  deep  curses  — 
ere  long,  will  fall  on  all  who  shrink  from  their  duty  in  such 
a  crisis.  Even  the  very  men  who  succeed,  if  succeed  they 
should,  will,  in  the  end,  curse  the  instruments  of  their  own 


success/ 


*  That  Mr.  Hugh  Littlepage  does  not  feel  or  express  himself  too 
strongly  on  the  state  of  things  that  has  now  existed  among  us  for  long, 
long  years,  the  following  case,  but  one  that  illustrates  the  melancholy 
truth  among  many,  will  show.  At  a  time  when  the  tenants  of  an  ex 
tensive  landlord,  to  whom  tens  of  thousands  were  owing  for  rent,  were 
openly  resisting  the  law,  and  defeating  every  attempt  to  distrain,  though 
17* 


198  THE     REDSKINS. 

u  A  first-rate  lecturer  on  feudal  tenors,"  (Joshua  was  not 
;n  the  least  particular  in  his  language,  but,  in  the  substance, 
he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about  as  well  as  some  who 
are  in  high  places,)  "  chickens  and  days'  works.  We  ex 
pect  a  great  deal  from  this  man,  who  is  paid  well  for 
coming." 

"  Und  who  might  bay -him?  —  der  State? 

"No  —  We  haven't  got  to  that  yet;  though  some  think 
the  State  will  have  to  do  it,  in  the  long  run.  At  present  the 
tenants  are  taxed  so  much  on  the  dollar,  accordin'  to  rent, 
or  so  much  an  acre,  and  that  way  the  needful  money  is 
raised.  But  one  of  our  lecturers  told  us,  a  time  back,  that 
it  was  money  put  out  at  use,  and  every  man  ought  to  keep 
an  account  of  what  he  give,  for  the  time  was  not  far  off 
when  he  would  get  it  back,  with  double  interest.  '  It  is  paid 
now  for  a  reform,'  he  said,  ;  and  when  the  reform  is  ob 
tained,  no  doubt  the  Slate  would  feel  itself  so  much  indebted 
to  us  all,  that  it  would  tax  the  late  landlords  until  we  got 
all  our  money  back  again,  and  more  too."  j  . 

"  Dat  vould  pe  a  bretty  speculation ;  ja,  dat  might  be 
most  bootiful !" 

"  Why,  yes ;  it  wouldn't  be  a  bad  operation,  living  on 
the  inimy,  as  a  body  might  say.  But  you  '11  not  catch  our 
folks  livin'  on  themselves,  I  can  tell  you.  That  they  might 
do  without  societies.  No,  we  've  an  object ;  and  when  folks 
has  an  object,  they  commonly  look  sharp  a'ter  it.  We  don't 
let  on  all  we  want  and  mean  openly  :  and  you  '11  find  folks 
among  us  that  '11  deny  stoutly  that  anti-renters  has  anything 
to  do  with  the  Tnjin  system  ;  but  folks  an't  obliged  to  believe 
the  moon  is  all  cheese,  unless  they've  a  mind  to.  Some 
among  us  maintain  that  no  man  ought  to  hold  more  than  a 
thousand  acres  of  land,  while  others  think  natur'  has  laid 
down  the  law  on  that  p'int,  and  that  a  man  shouldn't  hold 
more  than  he  has  need  on." 

two  ordinary  companies  of  even  armed  constables  would  have  put  them 
down,  the  sheriff  entered  the  house  of  that  very  landlord,  and  levied  on 
his  furniture  for  debt.  Had  that  gentleman,  on  the  just  and  pervading 
principle  that  he  owed  no  allegiance  to  an  authority  that  did  not  pro 
tect  him,  resisted  the  sheriff's  officer,  he  would  have  gone  to  the  State's 
prison ;  and  there  he  might  have  staid  until  his  last  hour  of  service 
was  expended.  —  EDITOR. 


THE     REDSKINS.  199 

"Und  vich  side  dost  you  favour? — vich  of  dese  obinions 
might  not  be  yours  ?" 

"  I  'm  not  partic'lar,  so  I  get  a  good  farm.  I  should  like 
one  with  comfortable  buildin's  on  't,  and  one  that  hasn't  been 
worked  to  death.  For  them  two  principles  I  think  I  'd  stand 
out ;  but,  whether  there  be  four  hundred  acres,  or  four  hun 
dred  arid  fifty,  or  even  five  hundred,  I  'm  no  way  onaccom- 
adatin'.  I  expect  there'll  be  trouble  in  the  eend,  when  we 
come  to  the  division,  but  I  'm  not  the  man  to  make  it.  I 
s'pose  I  shall  get  my  turn  at  the  town  offices,  and  other 
chances,  and,  givin'  me  my  rights  in  them,  I  '11  take  up  with 
almost  any  farm  young  Littlepage  has,  though  I  should  ra 
ther  have  one  in  the  main  valley  here,  than  one  more  out 
of  the  way ;  still,  I  don't  set  myself  down  as  at  all  par 
tic'lar." 

"  Und  vhat  do  you  expect  to  bay  Mr.  Littlepage  for  der 
farm,  ast  you  might  choose1?" 

"That  depends  on  sarcumstances.  The  Injins  mainly 
expect  to  come  in  cheap.  Some  folks  think  it 's  best  to  pay 
suthin',  as  it  might  stand  ag'in'  law  better,  should  it  come 
to  that ;  while  other  some  see  no  great  use  in  paying  any 
thing.  Them  that 's  willing  to  pay,  mainly  hold  out  for 
paying  the  principal  of  the  first  rents." 

"  I  doesn't  oonderstandt  vhat  you  means  py  der  brincipal 
of  der  first  rents." 

"It's  plain  enough,  when  you  get  the  lay  on 't.  You 
see,  these  lands  were  let  pretty  low,  when  they  were  first 
taken  up  from  the  forest,  in  order  to  get  folks  to  live  here. 
That 's  the  way  we  're  obliged  to  do  in  America,  or  people 
won't  come.  Many  tenants  paid  no  rent  at  all  for  six,  eight, 
or  ten  years ;  and  a'ter  that,  until  their  three  lives  run  out, 
as  it  is  called,  they  paid  only  sixpence  an  acre,  or  six  dol 
lars  and  a  quarter  on  the  hundred  acres.  That  was  done, 
you  see,  to  buy  men  to  come  here  at  all ;  and  you  can  see 
by  the  price  that  was  paid,  how  hard  a  time  they  must  have 
had  on 't.  Now,  some  of  our  folks  hold  that  the  whull  time 
ought  to  be  counted  —  that  which  was  rent  free,  and  that 
which  was  not  —  in  a  way  that  I  '11  explain  to  you ;  for  I  'd 
have  you  to  know  I  haven't  entered  into  this  business  with* 
out  looking  to  the  right  and  the  wrong  on 't." 


THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Exblain,  exblain ;  I  might  hear  you  exblain,  and  you 
most  exblain." 

"  Why,  you  're  in  a  hurry,  friend  Griezenbach,  or  what 
ever  your  name  be.  But  I  Ml  explain,  if  you  wish  it.  S'pose, 
now,  a  lease  run  thirty  years  —  ten  on  nothin',  and  twenty 
'<n  sixpences.  Well,  a  hundred  sixpences  make  fifty  shil 
lings,  and  twenty  times  fifty  make  a  thousand,  as  all  the 
rent  paid  in  thirty  years.  If  you  divide  a  thousand  by  thirty, 
't  leaves  thirty-three  shillings  and  a  fraction" — Joshua  cal- 
rulated  like  an  American  of  his  class,  accurately  and  with 
rapidity — "  for  the  average  rent  of  the  thirty  years.  Call 
ing  thirty-three  shillings  four  dollars,  and  it's  plaguy  little 
more,  we  have  that  for  the  interest,  which,  at  7  per  cent., 
will  make  a  principal  of  rather  more  than  fifty  dollars, 
though  not  as  much  as  sixty.  As  sich  matters  ought  to  be 
done  on  liberal  principles,  they  say  that  Littlepage  ought  to 
take  fifty  dollars,  and  give  a  deed  for  the  hundred  acres." 

"  Und  vhat  might  be  der  rent  of  a  hoondred  acres  now  1 — 
he  might  get  more  dan  sixpence  to-day  ?" 

"  That  he  does.  Most  all  of  the  farms  are  running  out 
on  second,  and  some  on  third  leases.  Four  shillings  an 
acre  is  about  the  average  of  the  rents,  accordin'  to  circum 
stances." 

"  Den  you  dinks  der  landtlort  ought  to  accept  one  year's 
rent  for  der  farms  ?" 

"  I  don't  look  on  it  in  that  light.  He  ought  to  take  fifty 
dollars  for  a  hundred  acres.  You  forget  the  tenants  have 
paid  for  their  farms,  over  and  over  again,  in  rent.  They 
feel  as  if  they  have  paid  enough,  and  that  it  was  time  to 
'stop." 

Extraordinary  as  this  reasoning  may  seem  in  most  men's 
minds,  I  have  since  found  it  is  a  very  favourite  sentiment 
among  anti-renters.  "  Are  we  to  go  on,  and  pay  rent  for 
ever?"  they  ask,  with  logical  and  virtuous  indignation  ! 

"  Und  vhat  may  be  der  aferage  value  of  a  hoondred  acre 
farm,  in  dis  part  of  de  coontry?"  I  inquired. 

"  From  two  thousand  five  hundred  to  three  thousand  dol 
lars.  It  would  be  more,  but  tenants  won't  put  good  build 
ings  on  farms,  you  know,  seein*  that  they  don't  own  them. 
I  heard  one  of  our  leaders  lamentin'  that  he  didn't  foresee 


THE     REDSKINS.  201 

what  times  was  comin'  to,  when  he  repaired  his  old  house, 
or  he  would  have  built  a  new  one.  But  a  man  can't  fore 
tell  everything.  I  dare  say  many  has  the  same  feelin's, 
now."  » 

"  Den  you  dinks  Herr  Littlebage  ought  to  accept  $50  for 
vhat  is  worth  $2500 1  Das  seem  ferry  little." 

"  You  forget  the  back  rent  that  has  been  paid,  and  the 
work  the  tenant  has  done.  What  would  the  farm  be  good 
for  without  the  work  that  ha-s  been  done  on  it  ?" 

"  Ja,  ja  —  I  oonderstandst ;  und  vhat  vould  der  work  be 
goot  for  vidout  der  landt  on  vhich  it  vast  done  ?" 

This  was  rather  an  incautious  question  to  put  to  a  man 
as  distrustful  and  rogueish  as  Joshua  Brigham.  The  fellow 
cast  a  lowering  and  distrustful  look  at  me ;  but  ere  there  was 
time  to  answer,  Miller,  of  whom  he  stood  in  healthful  awe, 
called  him  away  to  look  after  the  cows. 

Here,  then,  I  had  enjoyed  an  opportunity  of  hearing  the 
opinions  of  one  of  my  own  hirelings  on  the  interesting  sub 
ject  of  my  right  to  my  own  estate.  I  have  since  ascertained 
that,  while  these  sentiments  are  sedulously  kept  out  of  view 
in  the  proceedings  of  the  government,  which  deals  with  the 
whole  matter  as  if  the  tenants  were  nothing  but  martyrs  to 
hard  bargains,  and  the  landlords  their  task-masters,  of 
greater  or  less  lenity,  they  are  extensively  circulated  in  the 
"  infected  districts,"  and  are  held  to  be  very  sound  doctrines 
by  a  large  number  of  the  "  bone  and  sinew  of  the  land." 
Of  course  the  reasoning  is  varied  a  little,  to  suit  circum 
stances,  and  to  make  it  meet  the  facts.  But  of  this  school 
is  a  great  deal,  and  a  very  great  deal,  of  the  reasoning  that 
circulates  on  the  leased  property ;  and,  from  what  I  have 
seen  and  heard  already,  I  make  no  doubt  that  there  are 
quasi  legislators  among  us  who,  instead  of  holding  the 
manly  and  only  safe  doctrine  which  ought  to  be  held  on 
such  a  subject,  and  saying  that  these  deluded  men  should  be 
taught  better,  are  ready  to  cite  the  very  fact  that  such  no 
tions  do  exist  as  a  reason  for  the  necessity  of  making  con 
cessions,  in  order  to  keep  the  peace  at  the  cheapest  rate. 
That  profound  principle  of  legislation,  which  concedes  the 
right  in  order  to  maintain  quiet,  is  admirably  adapted  to 
forming  sinners ;  and,  if  carried  out  in  favour  of  all  who 


202  THE    REDSKINS. 

may  h.appen  to  covet  their  neighbour's  goods,  would,  in  a 
short  time,  render  this  community  the  very  paradise  of 
knaves. 

As  for  Joshua  Brigham,  I  saw  no  more  of  him  that  night ; 
for  he  quitted  the  farm  on  leave,  just  as  it  got  to  be  dark. 
Where  he  went  I  do  not  know ;  but  the  errand  on  which 
he  left  us  could  no  longer  be  a  secret  to  me.  As  the  family 
retired  early,  and  we  ourselves  were  a  good  deal  fatigued, 
everybody  was  in  bed  by  nine  o'clock,  and,  judging  from 
myself,  soon  asleep.  Previously  to  saying  "  good  night," 
however,  Miller  told  us  of  the  meeting  of  the  next  day,  and 
of  his  intention  to  attend  it. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

«  He  knows  the  game ;  how  true  he  keeps  the  wind  ! 
«  Silence." 

King  Henry  VI. 

AFTER  an  early  breakfast,  next  morning,  the  signs  of 
preparation  for  a  start  became  very  apparent  in  the  family. 
Not  only  Miller,  but  his  wife  and  daughter,  intended  to  go 
down  to  "  Little  Neest,"  as  the  hamlet  was  almost  invariably 
called  in  that  fragment  of  the  universe,  in  contradistinction 
to  the  "  Neest"  proper.  I  found  afterwards  that  this  very  cir- ' 
cumstance  was  cited  against  me  in  the  controversy,  it  being 
thought  Use  majeste  for  a  private  residence  to  monopolize 
the  major  of  the  proposition,  while  a  hamlet  had  to  put  up 
with  the  minor  ;  the  latter,  moreover,  including  two  taverns, 
which  are  exclusively  the  property  of  the  public,  there  being 
exclusiveness  with  the  public  as  well  as  with  aristocrats  — 
more  especially  in  all  things  that  pertain  to  power  or  profit. 
As  to  tne  two  last,  even  Joshua  Brigham  was  much  more  of 
an  aristocrat  than  I  was  myself.  It  must  be  admitted  that 
the  Americans  are  a  humane  population,  for  they  are  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  203 

only  people  who  deem  that  bankruptcy  gives  a  claim  to 
public  favour.* 

As  respects  the  two  "  Nests,"  had  not  so  much  more  se 
rious  matter  been  in  agitation,  the  precedence  of  the  names 
might  actually  have  been  taken  up  as  a  question  of  moment. 
I  have  heard  of  a  lawsuit  in  France,  touching  a  name  that 
has  been  illustrious  in  that  country  for  a  period  so  long  as 
to  extend  beyond  the  reach  of  man  —  as,  indeed,  was  appa 
rent  by  the  matter  in  controversy  —  and  which  name  has 
obtained  for  itself  a  high  place  in  the  annals  of  even  our 
own  republic.  I  allude  to  the  House  of  Grasse,  which  was 
sealed,  prior  to  the  revolution,  and  may  be  still,  at  a  place 
called  Grasse,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  kingdom,  the  town 
being  almost  as  famous  for  the  manufacture  of  pleasant 
things  as  the  family  for  its  exploits  in  arms.  About  a  cen 
tury  since,  the  Marquis  de  Grasse  is  said  to  have  had  a 
proces  with  his-  neighbours  of  the  place,  to  establish  the  fact 
whether  the  family  gave  its  name  to  the  town,  or  the  town 
gave  its  name  to  the  family.  The  Marquis  prevailed  in  the 
struggle,  but  greatly  impaired  his  fortune  in  achieving  that 
new  victory.  As  my  house,  or  its  predecessor,  was  cer 
tainly  erected  and  named  while  the  site  of  Little  Nest  was 
still  in  the  virgin  forest,  one  would  think  its  claims  to  the 
priority  of  possession  beyond  dispute ;  but  such  might  not 
prove  to  be  the  case  on  a  trial.  There  are  two  histories 
among  us,  as  relates  to  both  public  and  private  things ;  the 
one  being  as  nearly  true  as  is  usual,  while  the  other  is  in- 
variably  the  fruits  of  the  human  imagination.  Everything 
depending  so  much  on  majorities,  that  soon  gets  to  be  the 
most  authentic  tradition  which  has  the  most  believers ;  for, 
under  the  system  of  numbers,  little  regard  is  paid  to  supe 
rior  advantages,  knowledge,  or  investigation,  all  depending 
on  3  as  against  2,  which  makes  1  majority.  I  find  a  great 
deal  of  this  spurious  history  is  getting  to  be  mixed  up  with 
the  anti-rent  controversy,  facts  coming  out  daily  that  long 
have  lain  dormant  in  the  graves  of  the  past.  These  facts 
affect  the  whole  structure  of  the  historical  picture  of  the 

*  Absurd  as  this  may  seem,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  and  for  a  reason 
that  is  creditable,  rather  than  the  reverse  —  a  wish  to  help  along  the 
unfortunate.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  however,  as  a  rule,  to  admit  of  any 
other  motive  for  selecting  for  public  trusts,  than  qualification. — EDITOR. 


J04  THE     REDSKINS. 

State  and  colony,  leaving  touches  of  black  where  the  pencil 
had  originally  put  in  white,  and  placing  the  high  lights 
where  the  shadows  have  before  always  been  understood  tc» 
be.  In  a  word,  men  are  telling  the  stories  as  best  agree* 
with  their  present  views,  and  not  at  all  as  they  agree  with 
fact. 

It  was  the  intention  of  Tom  Miller  to  give  my  uncle  Ro 
and  me  a  dearborn  to  ourselves,  while  he  drove  his  wife, 
Kitty  and  a  help,  as  far  as  the  "  Little  Neest,"  in  a  two- 
horse  vehicle  that  was  better  adapted  to  such  a  freight. 
Thus  disposed  of,  then,  we  all  left  the  place  in  company, 
just  as  the  clock  in  the  farm-house  entry  struck  nine.  I 
drove  our  horse  myself;  and  mine  he  was,  in  fact,  every 
hoof,  vehicle  and  farming  utensil  on  the  Nest  farm,  being 
as  much  my  property,  under  the  old  laws,  as  the  hat  on 
my  head.  .  It  is  true,  the  Millers  had  now  been  fifty  years 
or  more,  nay,  nearly  sixty,  in  possession,  and  by  the  new 
mode  of  construction  it  is  possible  some  may  fancy  that  we 
had  paid  them  wages  so  long  for  working  the  land,  and  for 
using  the  cattle  and  utensils,  that  the  title,  in  a  moral  sense, 
had  passed  out  of  me,  in  order  to  pass  into  Tom  Miller.  If 
use  begets  a  right,  why  not  to  a  wagon  and  horse,  as  well 
as  to  a  farm. 

As  we  left  the  place  I  gazed  wistfully  towards  the  Nest 
House,  in  the  hope  of  seeing  the  form  of  some  one  that  I 
loved,  at  a  window,  on  the  lawn,  or  in  the  piazza.  Not  a 
soul  appeared,  however,  and  we  trotted  down  the  road  a 
short  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  other  wagon,  conversing 
on  such  things  as  came  uppermost  in  our  minds.  The  dis 
tance  we  had  to  go  was  about  four  miles,  and  the  hour 
named  for  the  commencement  of  the  lecture,  which  was  to 
be  the  great  affair  of  the  day,  had  been  named  at  eleven. 
This  caused  us  to  be  in  no  hurry,  and  I  rather  preferred  to 
coincide  with  the  animal  I  drove,  and  move  very  slowly, 
than  hurry  on,  and  arrive  an  hour  or  two  sooner  than  was 
required.  In  consequence  of  this  feeling  on  our  part,  Millef 
and  his  family  were  soon  out  of  sight,  it  being  their  wish  to 
obtain  as  much  of  the  marvel's  of  the  day  as  was  possible. 

The  road,  of  course,  was  perfectly  well  known  to  my 
uncle  and  myself;  but,  had  it  not  been,  there  was  no  dan. 
ger  of  missing  our  way,  as  we  had  only  to  follow  the  geno- 


THE    REDSKINS.  205 

ral  direction  of  the  broad  valley  through  which  it  ran. 
Then  Miller  had  considerately  told  us  that  we  must  pass 
two  churches,  or  a  church  and  a  "  meetin'-'us',"  the  spires 
of  both  of  which  were  visible  most  of  the  way,  answering 
for  beacops.  Referring  to  this  term  of  "  meeting-house," 
does  it  not  furnish  conclusive  evidence,  of  itself,  of  the  in 
consistent  folly  of  that  wisest  of  all  earthly  beings,  man? 
It  was  adopted  in  contradistinction  from,  and  in  direct  op 
position  to,  the  supposed  idolatrous  association  connected 
with  the  use  of  the  word  "  church,"  at  a  time  when  certain 
sects  would  feel  offended  at  hearing  their  places  of  worship 
thus  styled ;  whereas,  at  the  present  day,  those  very  secta 
rians  are  a  little  disposed  to  resent  this  exclusive  appropria 
tion  of  the  proscribed  word  by  the  sects  who  have  always 
adhered  to  it  as  offensively  presuming,  and,  in  a  slight  de 
gree,  "  arisdogradic !"  I  am  a  little  afraid  that  your  out- 
and-outers  in  politics,  religion,  love  of  liberty,  and  other  hu 
man  excellences,  are  somewhat  apt  to  make  these  circuits 
in  their  eccentric  orbits,  and  to  come  out  somewhere  quite 
near  the  places  from  which  they  started. 

The  road  between  the  Nest  House  and  Little  Nest,  the 
hamlet,  is  rural,  and  quite  as  agreeable  as  is  usually  found 
in  a  part  of  the  country  that  is  without  water-views  or  moun 
tain  scenery.  Our  New  York  landscapes  are  rarely,  nay, 
never  grand,  as  compared  with  the  noble  views  one  finds  in 
Italy,  Switzerland,  Spain,  and  the  finer  parts  of  Europe ; 
but  we  have  a  vast  many  that  want  nothing  but  a  finish  to 
their  artificial  accessories  to  render  them  singularly  agree 
able.  Such  is  the  case  with  the  principal  vale  of  Ravens- 
nest,  which,  at  the  very  moment  we  were  driving  through 
it,  struck  my  uncle  and  myself  as  presenting  a  picture  of 
rural  abundance,  mingled  with  rural  comfort,  that  one  sel 
dom  sees  in  the  old  world,  where  the  absence  of  enclosures, 
and  the  concentration  of  the  dwellings  in  villages,  leave  the 
fields  naked  and  with  a  desolate  appearance,  in  spite  of  their 
high  tillage  and  crops. 

"  This  is  an  estate  worth  contending  for,  now,"  said  my 
uncle,  as  we  trotted  slowly  on,  "  although  it  has  not  hitherto 
been  very  productive  to  its  owner.  The  first  half  century 
pf  an  American  property  of  this  sort  rarely  brings  much  to 
its  Droorietor  beyond  trouble  and  vexation." 
18 


206  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  And  aftei  that  time  the  tenant  is  to  have  it,  pretty  much 
at  his  own  price,  as  a  reward  for  his  own  labour !" 

"  What  evidences  are  to  be  found,  wherever  the  eye  rests 
of  the  selfishness  of  man,  and  his  unfitness  to  be  left  to  the 
unlimited  control  of  his  own  affairs !  In  England  they  are 
quarrelling  with  the  landlords,  who  do  compose  a  real  aris 
tocracy,  and  make  the  laws,  about  the  manner  in  which 
they  protect  themselves  and  the  products  of  their  estates ; 
while  here  the  true  owner  of  the  soil  is  struggling  against  the 
power  of  numbers,  with  the  people,  who  are  the  only  aris 
tocrats  we  possess,  in  order  to  maintain  his  right  of  pro 
perty  in  the  simplest  and  most  naked  form  !  A  common 
vice  is  at  the  bottom  of  both  wrongs,  and  that  is  the  vice  of 
selfishness." 

"  But  how  are  abuses  like  those  of  which  we  complain 
here —  abuses  of  the  most  formidable  character  of  any  that 
can  exist,  since  the  oppressors  are  so  many,  and  so  totally 
irresponsible  by  their  numbers  —  to  be  avoided,  if  you  give 
the  peopfe  the  right  of  self-government  ?" 

"  God  help  the  nation  where  self-government,  in  its  lite 
ral  sense,  exists,  Hugh !  The  term  is  conventional,  and, 
properly  viewed,  means  a  government  in  which  the  source 
of  authority  is  the  body  of  the  nation,  and  does  not  come 
from  any  other  sovereign.  When  a  people  that  has  been 
properly  educated  by  experience  calmly  selects  its  agents, 
and  coolly  sets  to  work  to  adopt  a  set  of  principles  to  form 
its  fundamental  law  or  constitution,  the  machine  is  on  the 
right  track,  and  will  work  well  enough  so  long  as  it  is  kept 
there ;  but  this  running  off,  and  altering  the  fundamental 
principles  every  time  a  political  faction  has  need  of  recruits, 
is  introducing  tyranny  in  its  worst  form  —  a  tyranny  that 
is  just  as  dangerous  to  real  liberty  as  hypocrisy  is  to  re 
ligion  !" 

We  were  now  approaching  St.  Andrew's  church  and  the 
rectory,  with  its  glebe,  the  latter  lying  contiguous  to  the 
church-yard,  or,  as  it  is  an  Americanism  to  say,  the  "  grave 
yard."  There  had  been  an  evident  improvement  around 
the  rectory  since  I  had  last  seen  it.  Shrubbery  had  been 
planted,  care  was  taken  of  the  fences,  the  garden  was  neatly 
and  well  worked,  the  fields  looked  smooth,  and  everything 
denoted  that  it  was  "  new  lords  and  new  laws."  The  lasi 


THE     REDSKINS.  207 

incumbent  had  been  a  whining,  complaining,  narrow-minded, 
selfish  and  lazy  priest,  the  least  estimable  of  all  human  cha 
racters,  short  of  the  commission  of  the  actual  and  higher 
crimes ;  but  his  successor  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  de 
vout  and  real  Christian — one  who  took  delight  in  the  duties 
of  his  holy  office,  and  who  served  God  because  he  loved 
him.  I  am  fully  aware  how  laborious  is  the  life  of  a  coun 
try  priest,  and  how  contracted  and  mean  is  the  pittance  he 
in  common  receives,  and  how  much  more  he  merits  than  he 
gels,  if  his  reward  were  to  be  graduated  by  things  here.  But 
this  picture,  like  every  other,  has  its  different  sides,  and  oc 
casionally  men  do  certainly  enter  the  church  from  motives 
as  little  as  possible  connected  with  those  that  ought  to  influ 
ence  them. 

"  There  is  the  wagon  of  Mr.  Warren,  at  his  door,"  ob 
served  my  uncle,  as  we  passed  the  rectory.  "  Can  it  bo 
that  he  intends  visiting  the  village  also,  on  an  occasion  like 
this?" 

"Nothing  more  probable,  sir,  if  the  character  Palt  has 
given  of  him  be  true,"  I  answered.  "  She  tells  me  he  has 
been  active  in  endeavouring  to  put  down  the  covetous  spirit 
that  is  getting  uppermost  in  the  town,  and  has  even  preached 
boldly,  though  generally,  against  the  principles  involved  in 
the  question.  The  other  man,  they  say,  goes  for  popularity, 
and  preaches  and  prays  with  the  anti-renters." 

No  more  was  said,  but  on  we  went,  soon  entering  a  large 
bit  of  wood,  a  part  of  the  virgin  forest.  This  wood,  exceed 
ing  a  thousand  acres  in  extent,  stretched  down  from  the 
hills  along  some  broken  and  otherwise  little  valuable  land, 
and  had  been  reserved  from  the  axe  to  meet  the  wants  of 
some  future  day.  It  was  mine,  therefore,  in  the  fullest  sense 
of  the  word ;  and,  singular  as  it  may  seem,  one  of  the 
grounds  of  accusation  brought  against  me  and  my  predeces 
sors  was  that  we  had  declined  leasing  it !  Thus,  on  the 
one  hand,  we  were  abused  for  having  leased  our  land,  and, 
on  the  other,  for  not  having  leased  it.  The  fact  is,  we,  in 
common  with  other  extensive  landlords,  are  expected  to  use 
our  property  as  much  as  possible  for  the  particular  benefit 
of  other  people,  while  those  other  people  are  expected  to  use 
their  property  as  much  as  possible  for  their  own  particular 
benefit. 


208  THE     REDSKINS. 

There  was  near  a  mile  of  forest  to  pass  before  we  came 
out  again  in  the  open  country,  at  about  a  mile  and  a  half's 
distance  from  the  hamlet.  On  our  left  this  little  forest  did 
not  extend  more  than  a  hundred  rods,  terminating  at  the 
edge  of  the  rivulet  —  or  creek,  as  the  stream  is  erroneously 
called,  and  for  no  visible  reason  but  the  fact  that  it  was  only 
a  hundred  feet  wide  —  which  swept  close  under  the  broken 
ground  mentioned  at  this  point.  On  our  right,  however,  the 
forest  stretched  away  for  more  than  a  mile,  until,  indeed,  it 
became  lost  and  confounded  with  other  portions  of  wood  that 
had  been  reserved  for  the  farms  on"  which  they  grew.  As 
is  very  usual  in  America,  in  cases  where  roads  pass  through 
a  forest,  a  second  growth  had  shot  up  on  each  side  of  this 
highway,  which  was  fringed  for  the  whole  distance  with 
large  bushes  of  pine,  hemlock,  chestnut  and  maple.  In  some 
places  these  bushes  almost  touched  the  track,  while  in  others 
a  large  space  was  given.  We  were  winding  our  way  through 
this  wood,  and  had  nearly  reached  its  centre,  at  a  point 
where  no  house  was  visible  —  and  no  house,  indeed,  stood 
within  half  a  mile  of  us — with  the  view  in  front  and  in 
rear  limited  to  some  six  or  eight  rods  in  each  direction  by 
the  young  trees,  when  our  ears  were  startled  by  a  low, 
shrill,  banditti-like  whistle.  I  must  confess  that  my  feelings 
were  anything  but  comfortable  at  that  interruption,  for  I  re 
membered  the  conversation  of  the  previous  night.  I  thought 
by  the  sudden  jump  of  my  uncle,  and  the  manner  he  in 
stinctively  felt  where  he  ought  to  have  had  a  pistol,  to  meet 
such  a  crisis,  that  he  believed  himself  already  in  the  hands 
of  the  Philistines. 

A  half  minute  sufficed  to  tell  us  the  truth.  I  had  hardly 
stopped  the  horse,  in  order  to  look  around  me,  when  a  line 
of  men,  all  armed  and  disguised,  issued  in  single  file  from 
the  bushes,  and  drew  up  in  the  road,  at  right  angles  to  its 
course.  There  were  six  of  these  "  Injins,"  as  they  are 
called,  and,  indeed,  call  themselves,  each  carrying  a  rifle, 
horn  and  pouch,  and  otherwise  equipped  for  the  field.  The 
disguises  were  very  simple,  consisting  of  a  sort  of  loose 
calico  hunting-shirt  and  trowsers  that  completely  concealed 
the  person.  The  head  was  covered  by  a  species  of  hood, 
or  mask,  equally  of  calico,  that  was  fitted  with  holes  for  the 
eyes,  nose  and  mouth,  and  which  completed  the  disguise* 


THE     REDSKINS.  209 

There  were  no  means  of  recognizing  a  man  thus  equipped, 
unless  it  might  be  by  the  stature,  in  cases  in  which  the 
party  was  either  unusually  tall  or  unusually  short.  A  mid 
dle-sized  man  was  perfectly  safe  from  recognition,  so  long 
as  he  did  not  speak  and  could  keep  his  equipments.  Those 
who  did  speak  altered  their  voices,  as  we  soon  found,  using 
a  jargon  that  was  intended  to  imitate  the  imperfect  English 
of  the  native  owners  of  the  soil.  Although  neither  of  us 
had  ever  seen  one  of  the  gang  before,  we  knew  these  dis 
turbers  of  the  public  peace  to  be  what  in  truth  they  were, 
the  instant  our  eyes  fell  on  them.  One  could  not  well  be 
mistaken,  indeed,  under  the  circumstances  in  which  we 
were  placed ;  but  the  tomahawks  that  one  or  two  carried, 
the  manner  of  their  march,  and  other  pieces  of  mummery 
that  they  exhibited,  would  have  told  us  the  fact,  had  we  met 
them  even  in  another  place. 

My  first  impulse  was  to  turn  the  wagon,  and  to  endea 
vour  to  lash  the  lazy  beast  I  drove  into  a  run.  Fortunately, 
before  the  attempt  was  made,  I  turned  my  head  to  see  if 
there  was  room  for  such  an  exploit,  and  saw  six  others  of 
these  "  Injins"  drawn  across  the  road  behind  us.  It  was 
now  so  obviously  the  wisest  course  to  put  the  best  face  on 
the  matter,  that  we  walked  the  horse  boldly  up  to  the  party 
in  front,  until  he  was  stopped  by  one  of  the  gang  taking 
him  by  the  bridle. 

"  Sago,  sago,"  cried  one  who  seemed  to  act  as  a  chief, 
and  whom  I  shall  thus  designate,  speaking  in  his  natural 
voice,  though  affecting  an  Indian  pronunciation.  "  How 
do,  how  do? — where  come  from,  eh? — where  go,  eh?  — 
What  you  say,  too  —  up  rent  or  down  rent,  eh?" 

"  Ve  ist  two  Charmans,"  returned  uncle  Ro,  in  his  most 
desperate  dialect,  the  absurdity  of  men  who  spoke  the  same 
language  resorting  to  such  similar  means  of  deception  tempt 
ing  me  sorely  to  laugh  in  the  fellows'  faces;  "  Ve  ist  two 
Charmans  dat  ist  goin'  to  hear  a  man's  sbeak  about  bayin* 
rent,  und  to  sell  vatches.  Might  you  buy  a  vatch,  goot 
shentlemans." 

Although  the  fellows  doubtless  knew  who  we  were,  so  far 

as  our  assumed  characters  went,  and  had  probably  been 

advised  of  our  approach,  this  bait  took,  and  there  was  a 

general  jumping  up  and  down,  and  a  common  pow-wowing 

18* 


210  THE     REDSKINS. 

among  them,  indicative  of  the  pleasure  such  a  proposal  gave. 
In  a  minute  the  whole  party  were  around  us,  with  some 
eight  or  ten  more  who  appeared  from  the  nearest  bushes. 
We  were  helped  out  of  the  wagon  with  a  gentle  violence 
that  denoted  their  impatience.  As  a  matter  of  course,  I  ex 
pected  that  all  the  trinkets  and  watches,  which  were  of  little 
value,  fortunately,  would  immediately  disappear;  for  who 
could  doubt  that  men  engaged  in  attempting  to  rob  on  so 
large  a  scale  as  these  fellows  were  engaged  in,  would  hesi 
tate  about  doing  a  job  on  one  a  little  more  diminutive.  I 
was  mistaken,  however ;  some  sort  of  imperceptible  disci 
pline  keeping  those  who  were  thus  disposed,  of  whom  there 
must  have  been  some  in  such  a  party,  in  temporary  order. 
The  horse  was  left  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  highway, 
right  glad  to  take  his  rest,  while  we  were  shown  the  trunk 
of  a  fallen  tree,  near  by,  on  which  to  place  our  box  of 
wares.  A  dozen  watches  were  presently  in  the  hands  of 
as  many  of  these  seeming  savages,  who  manifested  a  good 
deal  of  admiration  a-t  their  shining  appearance.  While  this 
scene,  which  was  half  mummery  and  half  nature,  was  in 
the  course  of  enactment,  the  chief  beckoned  me  to  a  seat  on 
the  further  end  of  the  tree,  and,  attended  by  one  or  two  of 
his  companions,  he  began  to  question  me  as  follows : 

"  Mind  tell  truth,"  he  said,  making  no  very  expert  actor 
in  the  way  of  imitation.  "  Dis  «  Streak  o'  Lightning,'  "  lay 
ing  his  hand  on  his  own  breast,  that  I  might  not  misconceive 
the  person  of  the  warrior  who  bore  so  eminent  a  title ;  "  no 
good  lie  to  him  —  know  ebbery  t'ing  afore  he  ask,  only  ask 
for  fun  —  what  do  here,  eh  ?" 

"  Ve  coomes  to  see  der  Injins  und  der  beoples  at  der  vil 
lage,  dat  ve  might  sell  our  vatches." 

"  Dat  all ;  sartain  ?  —  can  call  '  down  rent,'  eh  ?" 

"  Dat  ist  ferry  easy  ;  '  down  rent,  eh  T  " 

"Sartain  Jarman,  eh?— you  no  spy?— you  no  sent  here 
by  gubbernor,  eh? — landlord  no  pay  you,  eh?" 

"  Vhat  might  I  spy?-  Dere  ist  nothin'  do  spy,  but  mans 
vid  calico  faces.  Vhy  been  you  afraid  of  der  governor?  — 
I  dinks  der  governors  be  ferry  goot  frients  of  der  anti- 
rents." 

"  Not  when  we  act  this  way.  Send  horse,  send  foot  a'tet 
us,  den.  T'ink  good  friend,  too,  when  he  dare  " 


THE     REDSKINS.  211 

"  He  be  d d  !"  bawled  out  one  of  the  tribe,  in  as  good 

homely,  rustic  English  as  ever  came  out  of  the  mouth  of  a 
clown!  "If  he's  our  friend,  why  did  he  send  the  artillery 
and  horse  down  to  Hudson?  —  and  why  has  he  had  Big 
Thunder  up  afore  his  infarnal  courts?  He  be  d d  !" 

There  was  no  mistaking  this  outpouring  of  the  feelings; 
and  so  "  Streak  o'  Lightning"  seemed  to  think  too,  for  he 
whispered  one  of  the  tribe,  who  took  the  plain-speaking  Injin 
by  the  arm  and  led  him  away,  grumbling  and  growling,  as 
the  thunder  mutters  in  the  horizon  after  the  storm  has 
passed  on.  For  myself,  I  made  several  profitable  reflec 
tions  concerning  the  inevitable  fate  of  those  who  attempt 
to  "  serve  God  and  Mammon."  This  anti-rentism  is  a  ques 
tion  in  which,  so  far  as  a  governor  is  concerned,  there  is 
but  one^course  to  pursue,  and  that  is  to  enforce  the  laws  by 
suppressing  violence,  and  leaving  the  parties  to  the  cove 
nants  of  leases  to  settle  their  differences  in  the  courts,  like 
the  parties  to  any  other  contracts.  It  is  a  poor  rule  that 
will  not  work  both  ways.  Many  a  landlord  has  made  a 
hard  bargain  for  himself;  and  I  happen  to  know  of  one 
case  in  particular,  in  which  a  family  has  long  been,  and  is 
still,  kept  out  of  the  enjoyment  of  a  very  valuable  estate,  an 
to  any  benefit  of  importance,  purely  by  the  circumstance 
that  a  weak-minded  possessor  of  the  property  fancied  he 
was  securing  souls  for  paradise  by  letting  his  farms  on  leases 
for  ninety-nine  years,  at  nominal  rents,  with  a  covenant  that 
the  tenant  should  go  twice  to  a  particular  church !  Now, 
nothing  is  plainer  than  that  it  is  a  greater  hardship  to  the  citi 
zen  who  is  the  owner  of  many  farms  so  situated,  than  to  the 
citizen  who  is  the  lessee  of  only  one  with  a  hard  covenant  ; 
and,  on  general  principles,  the  landlord  in  question  would 
be  most  entitled  to  relief,  since  one  man  who  suffers  a  good 
deal  is  more  an  object  of  true  commiseration  than  many  who 
suffer  each  a  little.  What  would  a  governor  be  apt  to  say 
if  my  landlord  should  go  with  his  complaints  to  the  foot  of 
the  executive  chair,  and  tell  him  that  the  very  covenant 
which  had  led  his  predecessor  into  the  mistake  of  thus  wast 
ing  his  means  was  openly  disregarded ;  that  farms  worth 
many  thousands  of  dollars  had  now  been  enjoyed  by  the 
tenants  for  near  a  century  for  mere  nominal  rents,  and  that 
the  owner  of  the  land  in  fee  had  occasion  for  his  property, 


212  THE     REDSKINS. 

&c.  &c.  Would  the  governor  recommend  legislative  ac 
tion  in  that  case1  Would  the  length  of  such  leases  induce 
him  to  recommend  that  no  lease  should  exceed  five  years  if 
duration?  Would  the  landlords  who  should  get  up  a  corps 
of  Injins  to  worry  their  tenants  into  an  abandonment  of  thoir 
farms  be  the  objects  of  commiseration  1 — and  wou''d  the  law 
slumber  for  years  over  their  rebellions  and  depredations, 
until  two  or  three  murders  aroused  public  indignation  1  Let 
them  answer  that  know.  As  a  landlord,  I  should  be  sorry 
to  incur  the  ridicule  that  would  attend  even  a  public  com 
plaint  of  the  hardships  of  such  a  case.  A  common  sneer 
would  send  me  to  the  courts  for  my  remedy,  if  I  had  one, 
and  the  whole  difference  between  the  "  if  and  ifs"  of  the  two 
cases  would  be  that  a  landlord  gives  but  one  vote,  while  his 
tenants  may  be  legion.* 

"  He  be  d d,"  muttered  the  plain-speaking  Injin,  as 

long  as  I  could  hear  him.  As  soon  as  released  from  his 
presence,  Streak  of  Lightning  continued  his  examination, 
though  a  little  vexed  at  the  undramatical  character  of  the 
interruption. 

"  Sartain  no  spy,  eh? — sartain  gubbernor  no  send  him, 
eh?  —  sartain  come  to  sell  watch,  eh?" 

"  I  coomes,  as  I  tell  ye,  to  see  if  vatches  might  be  solt, 
und  not  for  der  gobbernor ;  I  neffer  might  see  der  mans." 

As  all  this  was  true,  my  conscience  felt  pretty  easy  on 
the  score  of  whatever  there  might  be  equivocal  about  it. 

"  What  folks  think  of  Injin  down  below,  eh  ? — what  folks 
say  of  anti-rent,  eh? — hear  him  talk  about  much?" 

"  Veil,  soome  does  dink  anti-rent  ist  goot,  und  soome 
does  dink  anti-rent  ist  bad.  Dey  dinks  as  dey  wishes." 

Here  a  low  whistle  came  down  the  road,  or  rather  down 
the  bushes,  when  every  Injin  started  up;  each  man  very 
fairly  gave  back  the  watch  he  was  examining,  and  in  less 
than  hdf  a  minute  we  were  alone  on  the  log.  This  move 
ment  was  so  sudden  that  it  left  us  in  a  little  doubt  as  to  the 
proper  mode  of  proceeding.  My  uncle,  however,  coolly  set 
about  replacing  his  treasures  in  their  box,  while  I  went  to 

*  This  is  no  invented  statement,  but  strictly  one  that  is  true,  the 
writer  having  himself  a  small  interest  in  a  property  so  situated  ;  though 
ho  has  not  yet  bethought  him  of  applying  to  the  Legislature  for  reliet 
— EDITOR. 


THE     REDSKINS.  213 

ihe  horse,  which  had  shaken  off  his  head-stall,  and  was  qui 
etly  grazing  along  the  road-side.  A  minute  or  two  might 
have  been  thus  occupied,  when  the  trotting  of  a  horse  and 
the  sound  of  wheels  announced  the  near  approach  of  one 
of  those  vehicles  which  have  got  to  be  almost  national ;  a 
dearborn,  or  a  one-horse  wagon.  As  it  came  out  from  he- 
hind  a  screen  of  bushes  formed  by  a  curvature  in  the  road, 
I  saw  that  it  contained  the  Rev.  Mr.  Warren  and  his  sweet 
daughter. 

The  road  being  narrow,  and  our  vehicle  in  its  centre,  it 
was  not  possible  for  the  new-comers  to  proceed  until  we  got 
out  of  the  way,  and  the  divine  pulled  up  as  soon  as  ho 
reached  the  spot  where  we  stood. 

"  Good  morning,  gentlemen"  said  Mr.  Warren,  cordially, 
and  using  a  word  that,  in  his  mouth,  I  felt  meant  all  it  ex 
pressed.  "  Good  morning,  gentlemen.  Are  you  playing 
Handel  to  the  wood-nymphs,  or  reciting  eclogues'?" 

"  Neider,  neider,  Herr  Pastor ;  we  meet  wid  coostomers 
here,  und  dey  has  joost  left  us,"  answered  uncle  Ro,  who 
certainly  enacted  his  part  with  perfect  aplomb,  and  the  most 
admirable  mimicry  as  to  manner.  "  Guten  tag,  guten  tag 
Might  der  Herr  Pastor  been  going  to  der  village?" 

"  We  are.  I  understand  there  is  to  be  a  meeting  there 
of  the  misguided  men  called  anti-renters,  and  that  several 
of  my  parishioners  are  likely  to  be  present.  On  such  an 
occasion  I  conceive  it  to  be  my  duty  to  go  among  my  own 
particular  people,  and  whisper  a  word  of  advice.  Nothing 
can  be  farther  from  my  notions  of  propriety  than  for  a  cler 
gyman  to  be  mingling  and  mixing  himself  up  with  political 
concerns  in  general,  but  this  is  a  matter  that  touches  mo 
rality,  and  the  minister  of  God  is  neglectful  of  his  duty  who 
keeps  aloof  when  a  word  of  admonition  might  aid  in  pre 
venting  some  wavering  brother  from  the  commission  of  a 
grievous  sin.  This  last  consideration  has  brought  me  out 
to  a  scene  I  could  otherwise  most  heartily  avoid." 

This  might  be  well  enough,  I  said  to  myself,  but  what 
has  your  daughter  to  do  in  such  a  scene?  Is  the  mind  of 
Mary  Warren,  then,  after  all,  no  better  than  vulgar  minds 
in  general  ? — and  can  she  find  a  pleasure  in  the  excitement 
of  lectures  of  this  cast,  and  in  that  of  public  meetings  ?  No 
surer  test  can  be  found  of  cultivation,  than  the  manner  in 


214  THE     REDSKINS. 

which  it  almost  intuitively  shrinks  from  communion  unne 
cessarily  with  tastes  and  principles  below  its  own  level ; 
yet  here  was  the  girl  with  whom  I  was  already  half  in  love— 
and  that  was  saying  as  little  as  could  be  said,  too— actually 
going  down  to  the  "  Little  Neest"  to  hear  an  itinerant  lee- 
turer  on  political  economy  utter  his  crudities,  and  to  see 
and  be  seen  !  I  was  grievously  disappointed,  and  would  at 
the  moment  have  cheerfully  yielded  the  best  farm  on  my 
estate  to  have  had  the  thing  otherwise.  My  uncle  must 
have  had  some  similar  notion,  by  the  remark  he  made. 

"  (Jrid  doost  das  jung  frau  go  to  see  der  Injins,  too ;  to 
bersuade  'em  dey  ist  fery  vicked  ?" 

Mary's  face  jjad  been  a  little  pale  for  her,  I  thought,  as 
the  wagon  drew  up ;  but  it  immediately  became  scarlet!  She 
even  suffered  her  head  to  droop  a  little,  and  then  I  perceived 
that  she  cast  an  anxious  and  tender  glance  at  her  father.  I 
cannot  say  whether  this  look  were  or  were  not  intended  for 
a  silent  appeal,  unconsciously  made  ;  but  the  father,  without 
even  seeing  it,  acted  as  if  he  fancied  it  might  be. 

"  No,  no,"  he  said,  hurriedly ;  "  this  dear  girl  is  doing 
violence  to  all  her  feelings  but  one,  in  venturing  to  such  a 
place.  Her  filial  piety  has  proved  stronger  than  her  fears 
and  her  tastes,  and  when  she  found  that  go  I  would,  no  ar 
gument' of  mine  could  persuade  her  to  remain  at  home.  I 
hope  she  will  not  repent  it." 

The  colour  did  not  quit  Mary's  face,  but  she  looked  grate 
ful  at  finding  her  true  motives  appreciated ;  and  she  even 
smiled,  though  she  said  nothing.  My  own  feelings  under 
went  another  sudden  revulsion.  There  was  no  want  of 
those  tastes  and  inclinations  that  can  alone  render  a  young 
woman  attractive  to  any  man  of  sentiment,  but  there  was 
high  moral  feeling  and  natural  affection  enough  to  overcome 
them  in  a  case  in  which  she  thought  duty  demanded  the 
sacrifice !  It  was  very  little  probable  that  anything  would 
or  could  occur  that  day  to  render  the  presence  oT  Mary 
Warren  in  the  least  necessary  or  useful ;  but  it  was  very 
pleasant  to  me  and  very  lovely  in  her  to  think  otherwise, 
under  the  strong  impulses  of  her  filial  attachment. 

Another  idea,  however,  and  one  far  less  pleasant,  sug 
gested  itself  to  the  minds  of  my  uncle  and  myself,  and  al 
most  at  the  same  instant ;  it  was  this  :  the  conversation  was 


THE     REDSKINS.  215 

carried  on  In  a  high  key,  or  loud  enough  lo  be  heard  at 
some  little  distance7the  horse  and  part  of  the  wagon  inter 
posing  between  the  speakers ;  and  there  was  the  physical 
certainty  that  some  of  those  whom  we  knew  to  be  close  at 
hand,  in  the  bushes,  must  hear  all  that  was  said,  and  might 
take  serious  offence  at  it.  Under  this  apprehension,  there 
fore,  my  uncle  directed  me  to  remove  our  own  vehicle  as 
fast  as  possible,  in  order  that  the  clergyman  might  pass. 
Mr.  Warren,  however,  was  in  no  hurry  to  do  this,  for  he 
was  utterly  ignorant  of  the  audience  he  had,  and  entertained 
that  feeling  towards  us  chat  men  of  liberal  acquirements  are 
apt  to  feel  when  they  see  others  of  similar  educations  re 
duced  by  fortune  below  their  proper  level.  He  was  conse 
quently  desirous  of  manifesting  his  sympathy  with  us,  and 
would  not  proceed,  even  after  I  had  opened  the  way  for 
him. 

"  It  is  a  painful  thing,"  continued  Mr.  Warren,  "  to  find 
men  mistaking  their  own  cupidity  for  the  workings  of  a 
love  of  liberty.  To  me  nothing  is  more  palpable  than  that 
this  anti-rent  movement  is  covetousness  incited  by  the  father 
of  evil ;  yet  you  will  find  men  among  us  who  fancy  they 
are  aiding  the  cause  of  free  institutions  by  joining  in  it, 
when,  in  truth,  they  are  doing  all  they  can  to  bring  them 
into  discredit,  and  to  insure  their  certain  downfall,  in  the 
end." 

This  was  sufficiently  awkward  ;  for,  by  going  near  enough 
to  give  a  warning  in  a  low  voice,  and  have  that  warning 
followed  by  a  change  in  the  discourse,  we  should  be  betray 
ing  ourselves,  and  might  fall  into  serious  danger.  At  the 
very  moment  the  clergyman  was  thus  speaking  I  saw  the 
masked  head  of  Streak  o'  Lightning  appearing  through  an 
opening  in  some  small  pines  that  grew  a  little  in  the  rear  of 
the  wagon,  a  position  that  enabled  him  to  hear  every  sylla 
ble  that  was  uttered.  I  was  afraid  to  act  myself,  and  trusted 
to  the  greater  experience  of  my  uncle.  Whether  the  last 
also  saw  the  pretended  chief  was  more  than  I  knew,  but  he 
decided  to  let  the  conversation  go  on,  rather  leaning  to  the 
anti-rent  side  of  the  question,  as  the  course  that  could  do  no 
serious  evil,  while  it  might  secure  our  own  safety.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  all  these  considerations  glanced 


216  THE     REDSKINS. 

through  our  minds  so  swiftly  as  to  cause  no  very  awkward 
or  suspicious  pause  in  the  discourse. 

"  B'rhaps  dey  doosn't  like  to  bay  rent?"  put  in  my  uncle, 
with  a  roughness  of  manner  that  was  in  accordance  with 
the  roughness  of  the  sentiment.  "  Beoples  might  radder  haf 
deir  landts  for  nuttin',  dan  bay  rents  for  dem." 

"  In  that  case,  then,  let  them  go  and  buy  lands  for  them 
selves;  if  they  do  not  wish  to  pay  rent,  why  did  they  agree 
to  pay  rent?" 

"  May  be  dey  changes  deir  minds.  Vhat  is  goot  to-day 
doosn't  always  seem  goot  to-morrow." 

"  That  may  be  true ;  but  we  have  no  right  to  make  others 
suffer  for  our  own  fickleness.  I  dare  say,  now,  that  it  might 
be  better  for  the  whole  community  that  so  large  a  tract  of 
land  as  that  included  in  the  Manor  of  Rensselaerwyck,  for 
instance,  and  lying  as  it  does  in  the  very  heart  of  the  State, 
should  be  altogether  in  the  hands  of  the  occupants,  than  have 
it  subject  to  the  divided  interest  that  actually  exists ;  but  it 
does  not  follow  that  a  change  is  to  be  made  by  violence,  or 
by  fraudulent  means.  In  either  of  the  latter  cases  the  injury 
done  the  community  would  be  greater  than  if  the  present 
tenures  were  to  exist  a  thousand  years.  I  dare  say  much 
the  larger  portion  of  those  farms  can  be  bought  off  at  a 
moderate  advance  on  their  actual  money-value ;  and  that  is 
the  way  to  get  rid  of  the  difficulty  ;  not  by  bullying  owners 
out  of  their  property.  If  the  State  finds  a  political  conside 
ration  of  so  much  importance  for  getting  rid  of  the  tenures, 
let  the  State  tax  itself  to  do  so,  and  make  a  liberal  offer,  in 
addition  to  what  the  tenants  will  offer,  and  I  '11  answer  for 
it  the  landlords  will  not  stand  so  much  in  their  own  way  as 
to  decline  good  prices." 

"  But,  maybes  dey  won't  sell  all  der  landts ;  dey  may 
wants  to  keep  some  of  dem." 

*'  They  have  a  right  to  say  yes  or  no,  while  we  have  no 
right  to  juggle  or  legislate  them  out  of  their  property.  The 
Legislature  of  this  State  has  quite  lately  been  exhibiting 
one  of  the  most  pitiable  sights  the  world  has  seen  in  my  day. 
It  has  been  struggling  for  months  to  find  a  way  to  get  round 
the  positive  provisions  of  laws  and  constitutions,  in  order  to 


THE     REDSKINS.  217 

make  a  sacrifice  of  the  rights  of  a  few,  to  secure  the  votes 
of  the  many." 

"Votes  "ist  a  goot  ding,  at  election  dime  —  haw,  haw, 
haw  !"  exclaimed  my  uncle. 

Mr.  Warren  looked  both  surprised  and  offended.  The 
coarseness  of  manner  that  my  uncle  had  assumed  effected 
its  object  with  the  Injins,  but  it  .almost  destroyed  the  divine's 
previous  good  opinion  of  our  characters,  and  quite  upset  his 
notions  of  our  refinement  and  principles.  There  was  no 
time  for  explanations,  however;  for,  just  as  my  uncle's 
broad  and  well-acted  "  haw,  haw,  haw"  was  ended,  a  shrill 
whistle  was  heard  in  the  bushes,  and  some  forty  or  fifty  of 
the  Injins  came  whooping  and  leaping  out  from  their  cover, 
filling  the  road  in  all  directions,  immediately  around  the 
wagons. 

Mary  Warren  uttered  a  little  scream  at  this  startling 
scene,  and  I  saw  her  arm  clinging  to  that  of  her  father,  by 
a  sort  of  involuntary  movement,  as  if  she  would  protect  him 
at  all  hazards.  Then  she  seemed  to  rally,  and  from  that 
instant  her  character  assumed  an  energy,  an  earnestness, 
a  spirit  and  an  intrepidity  that  I  had  least  expected  in  one 
so  mild  in  aspect,  and  so  really  sweet  in  disposition. 

All  this  was  unnoticed  by  the  Injins.  They  had  their 
impulses,  too,  and  the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  assist  Mr. 
Warren  and  his  daughter  to  alight  from  their  wagon.  This 
was  done,  not  without  decorum  of  manner,  and  certainly  not 
without  some  regard  to  the  holy  office  of  one  of  the  parties, 
and  to  the  sex  of  the  other.  Nevertheless,  it  was  done  neatly 
and  expeditiously,  leaving  us  all,  Mr.  Warren  and  Mary, 
my  uncle  and  myself,  with  a  cluster  of  some  fifty  Injins 
around  us,  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  highway. 


218  THE     REDSKINS. 


•;,v,  CHAPTER  XIV. 

«<  No  toil  in  despair, 

No  tyrant,  no  slave, 
No  bread-tax  is  there, 

With  a  maw  like  the  grave/' 

ALL  this  was  so  suddenly  done  as  scarce  to  leave  us  time 
to  think.  There  was  one  instant,  notwithstanding,  while 
two  Injins  were  assisting  Mary  Warren  to  jump  from  the 
wagon,  when  my  incognito  was  in  great  danger.  Perceiving 
that  the  young  lady  was  treated  with  no  particular  disre 
spect,  I  so  far  overcame  the  feeling  as  to  remain  quiet, 
though  I  silently  changed  my  position  sufficiently  to  get 
near  her  elbow,  where  1  could  and  did  whisper  a  word  or 
two  of  encouragement.  But  Mary  thought  only  of  her  fa 
ther,  and  had  no  fears  for  herself.  She  saw  none  but  him, 
trembled  only  for  him,  dreaded  and  hoped  for  him  alone. 

As  for  Mr.  Warren  himself,  he  betrayed  no  discomposure. 
Had  he  been  about  to  enter  the  desk,  his  manner  could  not 
have  been  more  calm.  He  gazed  around  him,  to  ascertain 
if  it  were  possible  to  recognise  any  of  his  captors,  but  sud 
denly  turned  his  head  away,  as  if  struck  with  the  expedi 
ency  of  not  learning  their  names,  even  though  it  had  been 
possible.  He  might  be  put  on  the  stand  as  a  witness  against 
some  misguided  neighbour,  did  he  know  his  person.  All 
this  was  so  apparent  in  his  benevolent  countenance,  that  I 
think  it  struck  some  among  the  Injins,  and  still  believe  it 
may  have  had  a  little  influence  on  their  treatment  of  him. 
A  pot  of  tar  and  a  bag  of  feathers  had  been  brought  into  the 
road  when  the  gang  poured  out  of  the  bushes,  but  whether 
this  were  merely  accidental,  or  it  had  originally  been  in. 
tended  to  use  them  on  Mr.  Warren,  I  cannot  say.  The  of 
fensive  materials  soon  and  silently  disappeared,  and  with 
them  every  sign  of  any  intention  to  offer  personal  injury. 

"  What  have  I  done  that  I  am  thus  arrested  in  the  public 
highway,  by  men  armed  and  disguised,  contrary  to  law?" 
demanded  the  divine,  as  soon  as  the  general  pause  which 


THE     REDSKINS.  219 

succeeded  the  first  movement  invited  him  to  speak.  "  This 
.is  a  rash  and  illegal  step,  that  may  yet  bring  repentance." 

"  No  preachee  now,"  answered  Streak  o'  Lightning ; 
"  preachee  for  meetin',  no  good  for  road." 

Mr.  Warren  afterwards  admitted  to  me  that  he  was  much 
relieved  by  this  reply,  the  substitution  of  the  word  "  meet 
ing"  for  "  church"  giving  him  the  grateful  assurance  that 
this  individual,  at  least,  was  not  one  of  his  own  people. 

"  Admoaition  and  remonstrance  may  always  be  useful 
when  crime  is  meditated.  You  are  now  committing  a  felony, 
for  which  the  State  &  prison  is  the  punishment  prescribed  by 
the  laws  of  the  land,  and  the  duties  of  my  holy  office  direct 
me  to  warn  you  of  the  consequences.  The  earth  itself  is 
but  one  of  God's  temples,  and  his  ministers  need  never  hesi 
tate  to  proclaim  his  laws  on  any  part  of  it." 

It  was  evident  that  the  calm  severity  of  the  divine,  aided, 
no  doubt,  by  his  known  character,  produced  an  impression 
on  the  gang,  for  the  two  who  had  still  hold  of  his  arms  re 
leased  them,  and  a  little  circle  was  now  formed,  in  the  cen 
tre  of  which  he  stood. 

"  If  you  will  enlarge  this  circle,  my  friends,"  continued 
Mr.  Warren,  "  and  give  room,  I  will  address  you  here,  where 
we  stand,  and  let  you  know  my  reasons  why  I  think  your 
conduct  ought  to  be " 

"  No,  no — no  preachee  here,"  suddenly  interrupted  Streak 
o'  Lightning  ;  "  go  to  village,  go  to  meetin'-'us' — preachee 
there. — Two  preacher,  den. — Bring  wagon  and  put  him  in. 
March,  march  ;  path  open." 

Although  this  was  but  an  "  Injin"  imitation  of  "  Indian" 
sententiousness,  and  somewhat  of  a  caricature,  everybody 
understood  well  enough  what  was  meant.  Mr.  Warren  of 
fered  no  resistance,  but  suffered  himself  to  be  placed  in  Mil- 
ler's  wagon,  with  my  uncle  at  his  side,  without  opposition. 
Then  it  was,  however,  that  he  bethought  himself  of  his 
daughter,  though  his  daughter  had  never  ceased  to  think  of 
him.  I  had  some  little  difficulty  in  keeping  her  from  Tush- 
ing  into  the  crowd,  and  clinging  to  his  side.  Mr.  Warren 
rose,  and,  giving  her  an  encouraging  smile,  bade  her  be 
calm,  told  her  lie  had  nothing  to  fear,  and  requested  that 
she  would  enter  his  own  wagon  again  and  return  home, 


220  THE     REDSKINS. 

promising  to  rejoin  her  as  soon  as  his  duties  at  the  village 
were  discharged. 

"  Here  is  no  one  to  drive  the  horse,  my  child,  but  our 
young  German  acquaintance.  The  distance  is  very  short, 
and  if  he  will  thus  oblige  me,  he  can  come  down  to  the  vil 
lage  with  the  wagon,  as  soon  as  he  has  seen  you  safe  at  our 
own  door." 

Mary  Warren  was  accustomed  to  defer  to  her  father's 
opinions,  and  she  so  far  submitted,  now,  as  to  permit  me  to 
assist  her  into  the  wagon,  and  to  place  myself  at  her  side, 
whip  in  hand,  proud  of  and  pleased  with  the  precious  charge 
thus  committed  to  my  care.  These  arrangements  made, 
the  Injins  commenced  their  march,  about  half  of  them  pre 
ceding,  and  the  remainder  following  the  wagon  that  con 
tained  their  prisoner.  Four,  however,  walked  on  each  side 
of  the  vehicle,  thus  preventing  the  possibility  of  escape.  No 
noise  was  made,  and  little  was  said  ;  the  orders  being  given 
by  signs  and  signals,  rather  than  by  words. 

Our  wagon  continued  stationary  until  the  party  had  got 
at  least  a  hundred  yards  from  us,  no  one  giving  any  heed 
to  our  movements.  I  had  waited  thus  long  for  the  double 
purpose  of  noting  the  manner  of  the  proceedings  among  the 
Injins,  and  to  obtain  room  to  turn  at  a  spot  in  the  road  a 
short  distance  in  advance  of  us,  and  which  was  wider  than 
common.  To  this  spot  I  now  walked  the  horse,  and  was 
in  the  act  of  turning  the  animal's  head  in  the  required  di 
rection,  when  I  saw  Mary  Warren's  little  gloved  hand  laid 
hurriedly  on  the  reins.  She  endeavoured  to  keep  the  head 
of  the  horse  in  the  road. 

"No,  no,"  said  the  charming  girl,  speaking  earnestly, 
as  if  she  would  not  be  denied,  "  we  will  follow  my  father  to 
the  village.  I  may  not,  must  not,  cannot  quit  him  !" 

The  time  and  place  were  every  way  propitious,  and  I  de 
termined  to  let  Mary  Warren  know  who  I  was.  By  doing 
it  I  might  give  her  confidence  in  me  at  a  moment  when  she 
was  in  distress,  and  encourage  her  with  the  hope  that  I 
might  also  befriend  her  father.  At  any  rate,  I  was  deter 
mined  to  pass  for  an  itinerant  Dutch  music-grinder  with  her 
no  longer. 

"  Miss  Mary,  Miss  Warren,"  I  commenced,  cautiously, 


TIIE     REDSKINS. 


221 


and  with  quite  as  much  hesitation  and  diffidence  of  feeling 
as  of  manner,  "  I  am  not  what  I  seem  —  that  is,  I  am  no 
music-grinder." 

The  start,  the  look,  and  the  alarm  of  my  companion, 
were  all  eloquent  and  natural.  Her  hand  was  still  on  the 
reins,  and  she  now  drew  on  them  so  hard  as  actually  to  stop 
the  horse.  I  thought  she  intended  to  jump  out  of  the  vehicle, 
as  a  place  no  longer  fit  for  her. 

"  Be  not  alarmed,  Miss  Warren,"  I  said,  eagerly,  and,  I 
trust,  so  earnestly  as  to  inspire  a  little  confidence.  "  You 
will  not  think  the  worse  of  me  at  finding  I  am  your  coun 
tryman  instead  of  a  foreigner,  and  a  gentleman  instead  of  a 
music-grinder.  I  shall  do  all  you  ask,  and  will  protect  you 
with  my  life." 

"  This  is  so  extraordinary  !  —  so  unusual !  —  The  whole 
country  appears  unsettled !  Pray,  sir,  if  you  are  not  the 
person  whom  you  have  represented  yourself  to  be,  who  are 
you  ?" 

"  One  who  admires  your  filial  love  and  courage — who 
honours  you  for  them  both.  I  am  the  brother  of  your  friend, 
Martha  —  I  am  Hugh  Littlepage  !" 

The  little  hand  now  abandoned  the  reins,  and  the  dear 
girl  turned  half  round  on  the  cushion  of  the  seat,  gazing  at 
me  in  mute  astonishment!  I  had  been  cursing  in  my  heart 
the  lank  locks  of  the  miserable  wig  I  was  compelled  to  wear, 
ever  since  I  had  met  with  Mary  Warren,  as  unnecessarily 
deforming  and  ugly,  for  one  might  have  as  well  a  becoming 
as  a  horridly  unbecoming  disguise.  Off  went  my  cap,  there 
fore,  and  off  went  the  wig  after  it,  leaving  my  own  shaggy 
curls  for  the  sole  setting  of  my  face. 

Mary  made  a  slight  exclamation  as  she  gazed  at  me,  and 
the  deadly  paleness  of  her  countenance  was  succeeded  by  a 
slight  blush.  A  smile,  too,  parted  her  lips,  and  I  fancied 
she  was  less  alarmed. 

"  Am  I  forgiven,  Miss  Warren  ?"  I  asked  ;  "  and  will  you 
recognise  me  for  the  brother  of  your  friend?" 

"Does  Martha  —  does  Mrs.  Littlepage  know  of  this?" 
the  charming  girl  at  length  asked. 

.  "Both;  I  have  had  the  happiness  of  being  embraced  by 
both  my  grandmother  and  my  sister.     You  were  taken  out 
19* 


222  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  the  room,  yesterday,  by  the  first,  that  I  might  be  lefl 
alone  with  the  last,  for  that  very  purpose !" 

"  I  see  it  all,  now  ;  yes,  I  thought  it  singular  then,  though 
I  felt  there  could  be  no  impropriety  in  any  of  Mrs.  Little- 
pages'  acts.  Dearest  Martha !  how  well  she  played  her 
part,  and  how  admirably  she  has  kept  your  secret !" 

"  It  is  very  necessary.  You  see  the  condition  of  the 
country,  and  will  understand  that  it  would  be  imprudent  in 
me  to  appear  openly,  even  on  my  own  estate.  I  have  a 
written  covenant  authorizing  me  to  visit  every  farm  near 
us,  to  look  after  my  own  interests ;  yet,  it  may  be  ques 
tioned  if  it  would  be  safe  to  visit  one  among  them  all,  now 
that  the  spirits  of  misrule  and  covetousness  are  up  and 
doing." 

"  Replace  your  disguise  at  once,  Mr.  Littlepage,"  said 
Mary,  eagerly  ;  "  do — do  not  delay  an  instant." 

I  did  as  desired,  Mary  watching  the  process  with  inte 
rested,  and,  at  the  same  time,  amused  eyes.  I  thought  she 
looked  as  sorry  as  I  felt  myself  when  that  lank,  villanoua 
wig  was  again  performing  its  office. 

"  Am  I  as  well  arranged  as  when  we  first  met,  Miss  War 
ren  ?  Do  I  appear  again  the  music-grinder?" 

"  I  see  no  difference,"  returned  the  dear  girl,  laughing. 
How  musical  and  cheering  to  me  were  the  sounds  of  her 
voice  in  that  little  burst  of  sweet,  feminine  merriment.  "  In 
deed,  indeed,  I  do  not  think  even  Martha  could  know  you 
now,  for  the  person  you  the  moment  before  seemed." 

"  My  disguise  is,  then,  perfect.  I  was  in  hopes  it  left  a 
little  that  my  friends  might  recognise,  while  it  effectually 
concealed  me  from  my  enemies." 

"It  does  —  oh!  it  does.  Now  I  know  who  you  are,  I 
find  no  difficulty  in  tracing  in  your  features  the  resemblance 
to  your  portrait  in  the  family  gallery,  at  the  Nest.  The 
eyes,  too,  cannot  be  altered  without  artificial  brows,  and 
those  you  have  not." 

This  was  consoling;  but  all  that  time  Mr.  Warren  and 
the  party  in  front  had  been  forgotten.  Perhaps  it  was  ex 
cusable  in  two  young  persons  thus  situated,  and  who  had 
now  known  each  other  a  week,  to  think  more  of  what  was 
just  then  passing  in  the  wagon,  than  to  recollect  the  tribe 


THE    REDSKINS.  •     223 

that  was  marching  down  the  road,  and  the  errand  they  were 
on.  I  felt  the  necessity,  however,  of  next  consulting  my 
companion  as  to  our  future  movements.  Mary  heard  me  in 
evident  anxiety,  and  her  purpose  seemed  unsettled,  for  she 
changed  colour  under  each  new  impulse  of  her  feelings. 

"  If  it  were  not  for  one  thing,"  she  answered,  after  a 
thoughtful  pause,  "  I  should  insist  on  following  my  father." 

"  And  what  may  be  the  reason  of  this  change  of  pur 
pose?" 

"  Would  it  be  altogether  safe  for  you^  Mr.  Littlepage,  to 
venture  again  among  those  misguided  men?" 

"  Never  think  of  me,  Miss  Warren.  You  see  I  have 
been  among  them  already  undetected,  and  it  is  my  intention 
to  join  them  again,  even  should  I  first  have  to  take  you 
home.  Decide  for  yourself." 

"  I  will,  then,  follow  my  father.  My  presence  may  be 
the  means  of  saving  him  from  some  indignity." 

I  was  rejoiced  at  this  decision,  on  two  accounts  ;  of  which 
one  might  Have  been  creditable  enough  to  me,  while  the 
other,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  was  rather  selfish.  I  delighted  in 
the  dear  girl's  devotion  to  her  parent,  and  I  was  glad  to  have 
her  company  as  long  as  possible  that  morning.  Without 
entering  into  a  very  close  analysis  of  motives,  however,  I 
drove  down  the  road,  keeping  the  horse  on  a  verv  slow  gait, 
being  in  no  particular  hurry  to  quit  my  present  fair  com 
panion. 

Mary  and  I  had  now  a  free,  and,  in  some  sense,  a  con 
fidential  dialogue.  Her  manner  towards  me  had  entirely 
changed ;  for,  while  it  maintained  the  modesty  and  retenue 
of  her  sex  and  station,  it  displayed  much  of  that  frankness 
which  was  the  natural  consequence  of  her  great  intimacy  at 
the  Nest,  and,  as  I  have  since  ascertained,  of  her  own  in 
genuous  nature.  The  circumstance,  too,  that  she  now  felt 
she  was  with  one  of  her  own  class,  who  had  opinions,  habits, 
tastes  and  thoughts  like  her  own,  removed  a  mountain  of 
restraint,  and  made  her  communications  natural  and  easy. 
I  was  near  an  hour,  I  do  believe,  in  driving  the  two  miles 
that  lay  between  the  point  where  the  Injins  had  been  met 
and  the  village,  and  in  that  hour  Mary  Warren  and  I  be 
came  better  acquainted  than  would  have  been  the  case,  under 
ordinary  circumstances,  in  a  year. 


THE     REDSKINS. 

In  the  first  place,  I  explained  the  reasons  and  manner  of 
my  early  and  unexpected  return  home,  and  the  motives  by 
which  I  had  been  governed  in  thus  coming  in  disguise  on 
my  own  property.  Then  I  said  a  little  of  rny  future  inten- 
ions,  and  of  my  disposition  to  hold  out  to  the  last  against 
f  very  attempt  on  my  rights,  whether  they  might  come  front 
ihe  open  violence  and  unprincipled  designs  of  those  below, 
c.r  the  equally  unprincipled  schemes  of  those  above.  A  spu 
rious  liberty  and  political  cant  were  things  that  I  despised, 
as  every  intelligent  and  independent  man  must ;  and  I  did 
not  intend  to  be  persuaded  I  was  an  aristocrat,  merely  be 
cause  I  had  the  habits  of  a  gentleman,  at  the  very  moment 
when  I  had  less  political  influence  than  the  hired  labourers 
in  my  own  service. 

Mary  Warren  manifested  a  spirit  and  an  intelligence  that 
surprised  me.  She  expressed  her  own  belief  that  the  pro 
scribed  classes  of  the  country  had  only  to  be  true  to  them 
selves  to  be  restored  to  their  just  rights,  and  that  on  the 
very  principle  by  which  they  were  so  fast  losing  them.  The 
opinions  she  thus  expressed  are  worthy  of  being  recorded. 

"  Everything  that  is  done  in  that  way,"  said  this  gentle, 
but  admirable  creature,  "  has  hitherto  been  done  on  a  principle 
that  is  quite  as  false  and  vicious  as  that  by  which  they  are 
now  oppressed.  We  have  had  a  great  deal  written  and  said, 
lately,  about  uniting  people  of  property,  but  it  has  been  so 
evidently  with  an  intention  to  make  money  rule,  and  that 
in  its  most  vulgar  and  vicious  manner,  that  persons  of  right 
feelings  would  not  unite  in  such  an  effort ;  but  it  does  seem 
fo  me,  Mr.  Littlepage,  that  if  the  gentlemen  of  New  York 
would  form  themselves  into  an  association  in  defence  of 
their  rights,  and  for  nothing  else,  and  let  it  be  known  that 
they  would  not  be  robbed  with  impunity,  they  are  numerous 
enough  and  powerful  enough  to  put  down  this  anti-rent  pro 
ject  by  the  mere  force  of  numbers.  Thousands  would  join 
them  for  the  sake  of  principles,  and  the  country  might  be 
left  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  fruits  of  liberty,  without  getting 
any  of  the  fruits  of  its  cant." 

This  is  a  capital  idea,  and  might  easily  be  carried  out. 
It  requires  nothing  but  a  little  self-denial,  with  the  convic 
tion  of  the  necessity  of  doing  something,  if  the  downward 
tendency  is  to  be  ever  checked  short  of  civil  war,  and  a 


THE     REDSKINS.  225 

revolution  that  is  to  let  in  despotism  in  its  more  direct  form  ; 
despotism,  in  the  indirect,  is  fast  appearing  among  us,  as 
it  is. 

"I  have  heard  of  a  proposition  for  the  Legislature  to  ap. 
point  special  commissioners,  who  are  to  settle  all  the  diffi 
culties  between  the  landlords  and  tenants,"  I  remarked,  "  a 
scheme  in  the  result  of  which  some  people  profess  to  have 
a  faith.  I  regard  it  as  only  one  of  the  many  projects  that 
have  been  devised  to  evade  the  laws  and  institutions  of  the 
country,  as  they  now  exist." 

Mary  Warren  seemed  thoughtful  for  a  moment ;  then  her 
eye  and  face  brightened,  as  if  she  were  struck  with  some 
thought  suddenly ;  after  which  the  colour  deepened  on  her 
cheek,  and  she  turned  to  me  as  if  half  doubting,  and  yet 
half  desirous  of  giving  utterance  to  the  idea  that  was  up 
permost. 

"  You  wish  to  say  something,  Miss  Warren  ?" 

"  I  dare  say  it  will  be  very  silly — and  I  hope  you  won't 
think  it  pedantic  in  a  girl,  but  really  it  does  look  so  to  me — 
what  difference  would  there  be  between  such  a  commission 
and  the  Star-Chamber  judges  of  the  Stuarts,  Mr.  Little- 
page  ?" 

**  Not  much  in  general  principles,  certainly,  as  both  would 
be  the  instruments  of  tyrants ;  but  a  very  important  one  in 
a  great  essential.  The  Star-Chamber  courts  were  legal, 
whereas  this  commission  would  be  flagrantly  illegal ;  the 
adoption  of  a  special  tribunal  to  effect  certain  purposes  that 
could  exist  only  in  the  very  teeth  of  the  constitution,  both 
in  its  spirit  and  its  letter.  Yet  this  project  comes  from  men 
who  prate  about  the  '  spirit  of  the  institutions,'  which  they 
clearly  understand  to  be  their  own  spirit,  let  that  be  what  it 
may." 

"Providence,  I  trust,  will  not  smile  on  such  desperate 
efforts  to  do  wrong !"  said  Mary  Warren,  solemnly. 

"  One  hardly  dare  look  into  the  inscrutable  ways  of  a 
Power  that  has  its  motives  so  high  beyond  our  reach.  Pro 
vidence  permits  much  evil  to  be  done,  and  is  very  apt  to  be, 
as  Frederic  of  Prussia  expressed  it,  on  the  side  of  strong 
battalions,  so  far  as  human  vision  can  penetrate.  Of  one 
thing,  however,  I  feel  certain,  and  that  is  that  they  who  are 
now  the  most  eager  to  overturn  everything  to  effect  present 


226  THE     REDSKINS. 

purposes,  will  be  made  to  repent  of  it  bitterly,  either  in  thei* 
own  persons,  or  in  those  of  their  descendants." 

"  That  is  what  is  meant,  my  father  says,  by  visiting  *  the 
sins  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  unto  the  third  and 
fourth  generations.'  But  there  is  the  party,  with  their  pri 
soners,  just  entering  the  village.  Who  is  your  companion, 
Mr.  Littlepage? — One  hired  to  act  as  an  assistant?" 

"  It  is  my  uncle,  himself.  You  have  often  heard,  I  should 
think,  of  Mr.  Roger  Littlepage?" 

Mary  gave  a  little  exclamation  at  hearing  this,  and  she 
almost  laughed.  After  a  short  pause  she  blushed  brightly, 
and  turned  to  me  as  she  said — 

"  And  my  father  and  I  have  supposed  you,  the  one  a 
pedlar,  and  the  other  a  street-musician!" 

"  But  bedlars  and  moosic-grinders  of  goot  etications,  as 
might  be  panishet  for  deir  bolitics." 

Now,  indeed,  she  laughed  out,  for  the  long  and  frank  dia 
logue  we  had  held  together  made  this  change  to  broken 
English  seem  as  if  a  third  person  had  joined  us.  I  profited 
by  the  occasion  to  exhort  the  dear  girl  to  be  calm,  and  not 
to  feel  any  apprehension  on  the  subject  of  her  father.  I 
pointed  out  how  little  probable  it  was  that  violence  would  be 
offered  to  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  showed  her,  by  the 
number  of  persons  that  had  collected  in  the  village,  that  it 
was  impossible  he  should  not  have  many  warm  and  devoted 
friends  present.  I  also  gave  her  permission  to,  nay,  re 
quested  she  would,  tell  Mr.  Warren  the  fact  of  my  uncle's 
and  my  own  presence,  and  the  reasons  of  our  disguises, 
trusting  altogether  to  the  very  obvious  interest  the  dear  girl 
took  in  our  safety,  that  she  would  add,  of  her  own  accord, 
the  necessary  warning  on  the  subject  of.  secresy.  Just  as 
this  conversation  ended  we  drove  into  the  hamlet,  and  I 
helped  my  fair  companion  to  alight. 

Mary  Warren  now  hastened  to  seek  her  father,  while  I 
was  left  to  take  care  of  the  horse.  This  I  did  by  fastening 
him  to  the  rails  of  a  fence,  that  was  lined  for  a  long  dis» 
tance  by  horses  and  wagons  drawn  up  by  the  way-side. 
Surprisingly  few  persons  in  the  country,  at  this  day,  are 
seen  on  horseback.  Notwithstanding  the  vast  difference  in 
the  amount  of  the  population,  ten  horsemen  were  to  be  met 
with  forty  years  ago,  by  all  accounts,  pn  the  highways  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  227 

the  State,  for  one  to-day.  The  well-known  vehicle,  called 
a  dearborn,  with  its  four  light  wheels  and  mere  shell  of  a 
box,  is  in  such  general  use  as  to  have  superseded  almost 
every  other  species  of  conveyance.  Coaches  and  chariots 
are  no  longer  met  with,  except  in  the  towns ;  and  even  the 
coachee,  the  English  sociable,  which  was  once  so  common, 
has  very  generally  given  way  to  a  sort  of  carriage- wagon, 
that  seems  a  very  general  favourite.  My  grandmother,  who 
did  use  the  stately-looking  and  elegant  chariot  in  town,  had 
nothing  but  this  carriage-wagon  in  the  country  ;  and  I  ques 
tion  if  one-half  of  the  population  of  the  State  would  know 
what  to  call  the  former  vehicle,  if  they  should  see  it. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  the  collection  of  people  assembled 
at  Little  Nest,  on  this  occasion  had  been  brought  together  in 
dearborns,  of  which  there  must  have  been  between  two  and 
three  hundred  lining  the  fences  and  crowding  the  horse- 
sheds  of  the  two  inns.  The  American  countryman,  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word,  is  still  quite  rustic  in  many  of  his 
notions;  though,  on  the  whole,  less  marked  in  this  particu 
lar  than  his  European  counterpart.  As  the  rule,  he  has 
yet  to  learn  that  the  little  liberties  which  are  tolerated  in  a 
thinly-peopled  district,  and  which  are  of  no  great  moment 
when  put  in  practice  under  such  circumstances,  become  op 
pressive  and  offensive  when  reverted  to  in  places  of  much 
resort.  The  habits  of  popular  control,  too,  come  to  aid  in 
making  them  fancy  that  what  everybody  does  in  their  part 
of  the  country  can  have  no  great  harm  in  it.  It  was  in 
conformity  with  this  tendency  of  the  institutions,  perhaps, 
that  very  many  of  the  vehicles  I  have  named  were  thrust 
into  improper  places,  stopping  up  the  footways,  impeding 
the  entrances  to  doors,  here  and  there  letting  down  bars 
without  permission,  and  garnishing  orchards  and  pastures 
with  one-horse  wagons.  Nothing  was  meant  by  all  these 
liberties  beyond  a  desire  to  dispose  of  the  horses  and  vehi 
cles  in  the  manner  easiest  to  their  owners.  Nevertheless, 
there  was  some  connection  between  the  institutions  and 
these  little  liberties  which  some  statesmen  might  fancy  ex 
isted  in  the  spirit  of  the  former.  This,  however,  was  a 
capital  mistake,  inasmuch  as  the  spirit  of  the  institutions 
is  to  be  found  in  the  laws,  which  prohibit  and  punish  all 
«orts  of  trespasses,  arid  which. are  enacted  expressly  to  curb 


THE     REDSKINS. 

*he  tendencies  of  human  nature !  No,  no,  as  my  uncle  Ro 
says,  nothing  can  be  less  alike,  sometimes,  than  the  spirit 
of  institutions  and  their  tendencies. 

I  was  surprised  to  find  nearly  as  many  females  as  men 
had  collected  at  the  Little  Nest  on  this  occasion.  As  for 
the  Injins,  after  escorting  Mr.  Warren  as  far  as  the  village^ 
as  if  significantly  to  admonish  him  of  their  presence,  they 
had  quietly  released  him,  permitting  him  to  go  where  he 
pleased.  Mary  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  him,  and  I  saw 
her  at  his  side,  apparently  in  conversation  with  Opportunity 
and  her  brother,  Seneca,  as  soon  as  I  moved  down  the  road, 
after  securing  the  horse.  The  Injins  themselves  kept  a  little 
aloof,  having  my  uncle  in  their  very  centre ;  not  as  a  pri 
soner,  for  it  was  clear  no  one  suspected  his  character,  but 
as  a  pedlar.  The  watches  were  out  again,  and  near  half 
of  the  whole  gang  seemed  busy  in  trading,  though  I  thought 
that  some  among  them  were  anxious  and  distrustful. 

It  was  a  singular  spectacle  to  see  men  who  were  raising 
the  cry  of  "  aristocracy"  against  those  who  happened  to  be 
richer  than  themselves,  while  they  did  not  possess  a  single 
privilege  or  power  that,  substantially,  was  not  equally  shared 
by  every  other  man  in  the  country,  thus  openly  arrayed  in 
defiance  of  law,  and  thus  violently  trampling  the  law  under 
their  feet.  What  made  the  spectacle  more  painful  was  the 
certainty  that  was  obtained  by  their  very  actions  on  the 
ground,  that  no  small  portion  of  these  Injins  were  mere 
boys,  led  on  by  artful  and  knavish  men,  and  who  consi 
dered  the  whole  thing  as  a  joke  When  the  laws  fall  so 
much  into  disrepute  as  to  be  the  subjects  of  jokes  of  this 
sort,  it  is  time  to  inquire  into  their  mode  of  administration. 
Does  any  one  believe  that  fifty  landlords  could  have  thus 
flown  into  the  face  of  a  recent  enactment,  and  committed 
felony  openly,  and  under  circumstances  that  had  rendered 
their  intentions  no  secret,  for  a  time  long  enough  to  enable 
the  authorities  to  collect  a  force  sufficient  to  repress  them? 
My  own  opinion  is,  that  had  Mr.  Stephen  Rensselaer,  and 
Mr.  William  Rensselaer,  and  Mr.  Harry  Livingston,  and 
Mr.  John  Hunter,  and  Mr.  Daniel  Livingston,  and  Mr.  Hugh 
Littlepage,  and  fifty  more  that  I  could  name,  been  caught 
armed  and  disguised,  in  order  to  defend  the  rights  of  pro. 
perty  that  are  solemnly  guarantied  in  these  institutions,  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  229 

which  it  would  seem  to  be  the  notion  of  some  that  it  is  the 
"  spirit"  to  dispossess  them,  we  should  all  of  us  have  been 
the  inmates  of  States'  prisons,  without  legislators  troubling 
themselves  to  pass  laws  for  our  liberation  !  This  is  another 
of  the  extraordinary  features  of  American  aristocracy,  which 
almost  deprives  the  noble  of  the  every-day  use  and  benefit 
of  the  law.  It  would  be  worth  our  while  to  lose  a  moment 
in  inquiring  into  the  process  by  which  such  strange  results 
are  brought  about,  but  it  is  fortunately  rendered  unneces 
sary  by  the  circumstance  that  the  principle  will  be  amply 
developed  in  the  course  of  the  narrative. 

A  stranger  could  hardly  have  felt  the  real  character  of 
this  meeting  by  noting  the  air  and  manner  of  those  who  had 
come  to  attend  it.  The  "  armed  and  disguised"  kept  them 
selves  in  a  body,  it  is  true,  and  maintained,  in  a  slight  de 
gree,  the  appearance  of  distinctness  from  "  the  people,"  but 
many  of  the  latter  stopped  to  speak  to  these  men,  and  were 
apparently  on  good  terms  with  them.  Not  a  few  of  the 
gentler  sex,  even,  appeared  to  have  acquaintances  in  the 
gang ;  and  it  would  have  struck  a  political  philosopher  from 
the  other  hemisphere  with  some  surprise,  to  have  seen  the 
"  people"  thus  tolerating  fellows  who  were  openly  trampling 
on  a  law  that  the  "  people"  themselves  had  just  enacted ! 
A  political  philosopher  from  among  ourselves,  however, 
might  have  explained  the  seeming  contradiction  by  referring 
it  to  the  "  spirit  of  the  institutions."  If  one  were  to  ask 
Hugh  Littlepage  to  solve  the  difficulty,  he  would  have  been 
very  apt  to  answer  that  the  "  people"  of  Ravensnest  wanted 
'o  compel  him  to  sell  lands  which  he  did  not  wish  to  sell, 
<md  tha:  not  a  few  of  them  were  anxious  to  add  to  the  com 
pulsory  bargains  conditions  as  to  price  that  would  rob  him 
of  about  one-half  of  his  estate;  and  that  what  the  Albany 
philosophers  called  the  "  spirit  of  the  institutions,"  was,  in 
/act,  a  "  spirit  of  the  devil,"  which  the  institutions  were  ex 
pressly  designed  to  hold  in  subjection ! 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  out-door  management  going  on, 
as  might  be  seen  by  the  private  discussions  that  were  held 
between  pairs,  under  what  is  called  tho  "  horse-shedding" 
process.  This  "  horse-shedding"  process,  I  understand,  is 
well  known  among  us,  and  extends  not  only  to  politics,  but 
to  the  administration  of  justice.  Your  regular  "  horse- 
20 


230  THE     REDSKINS. 

shedder"  is  employed  to  frequent  taverns  where  jurors  stay, 
and  drops  hints  before  them  touching  the  merits  of  causes 
known  to  be  on  the  calendars  ;  possibly  contrives  to  get  into 
a  room  with  six  or  eight  beds,  in  which  there  may  acci 
dentally  be  a  juror,  or  even  two,  in  a  bed,  when  he  drops 
into  a  natural  conversation  on  the  merits  of  some  matter  at 
issue,  praises  one  of  the  parties,  while  he  drops  dark  hints 
to  the  prejudice  of  the  other,  and  makes  his  own  representa 
tions  of  the  facts  in  a  way  to  scatter  the  seed  where  he  is 
morally  certain  it  will  take  root  and  grow.  All  this  time 
he  is  not  conversing  with  a  juror,  not  he ;  he  is  only  as 
suming  the  office  of  the  judge  by  anticipation,  and  dissect 
ing  evidence  before  it  has  been  given,  in  the  ear  of  a  parti 
cular  friend.  It  is  true  there  is  a  law  against  doing  any 
thing  of  the  sort ;  it  is  true  there  is  law  to  punish  the  editor 
of  a  newspaper  who  shall  publish  anything  to  prejudice  the 
interests  of  litigants  ;  it  is  true  the  "  horse-shedding  process" 
is  flagrantly  wicked,  and  intended  to  destroy  most  of  the 
benefits  of  the  jury-system ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  this, 
the  "  spirit  of  the  institutions"  carries  everything  before  it, 
and  men  regard  all  these  laws  and  provisions,  as  well  as  the 
eternal  principles  of  right,  precisely  as  if  they  had  no  exist 
ence  at  all,  or  as  if  a  freeman  were  above  the  law.  He 
makes  the  law,  and  why  should  he  not  break  it  ?  Here  is 
another  effect  of  the  "  spirit  of  the  institutions." 

At  length  the  bell  rang,  and  the  crowd  began  to  move  to 
wards  the  "  meetin'-us."  This  building  was  not  that  which 
had  been  originally  constructed,  and  at  the  raising  of  which 
I  have  heard  it  said,  my  dear  old  grandmother,  then  a  lovely 
and  spirited  girl  of  nineteen,  had  been  conspicuous  for  her 
coolness  and  judgment,  but  a  far  more  pretending  successor. 
The  old  building  had  been  constructed  on  the  true  model  of  the 
highest  dissenting  spirit — a  spirit  that  induced  its  advocates 
to  quarrel  with  good  taste  as  well  as  religious  dogmas,  in 
order  to  make  the  chasm  as  wide  as  possible — while  in  this, 
some  concessions  had  been  made  to  the  temper  of  the  times. 
I  very  well  remember  the  old  "  meetin'-us"  at  the  "  Little 
Nest,"  for  it  was  pulled  down  to  give  place  to  its  more  pre 
tending  successor  after  I  had  attained  my  sixteenth  year. 
A  description  of  both  may  let  the  reader  into  the  secret  of 
our  rural  church  architecture. 


THE    REDSKINS.  231 

The  "  old  Neest  meetin'-us,"  like  ils  successor,  was  of  a 
nemlock  frame,  covered  with  pine  clap-boards,  and  painted 
white.  Of  late  years,  the*paint  had  been  of  a  most  fleeting 
'quality,  the  oil  seeming  to  evaporate,  instead  of  striking  in 
and  setting,  leaving  the  colouring  matter  in  a  somewhat  de 
composed  condition,  to  rub  off  by  friction  and  wash  away 
in  the  rains.  The  house  was  a  stiff,  formal  parallelogram, 
resembling  a  man  with  high  shoulders,  appearing  to  be 
"  stuck  up."  It  had  two  rows  of  formal,  short  and  ungrace 
ful  windows,  that  being  a  point  in  orthodoxy  at  the  period 
of  its  erection.  It  had  a  tower,  uncouth,  and  in  some  re 
spects  too  large  and  others  too  small,  if  one  can  reconcile 
the  contradiction  ;  but  there  are  anomalies  of  this  sort  in  art, 
as  well  as  in  nature.  On  lop  of  this  tower  stood  a  long- 
legged  belfry,  which  had  got  a  very  dangerous,  though  a 
very  common,  propensity  in  ecclesiastical  matters  ;  in  other 
words,  it  had  begun  to  "  cant."  It  was  this  diversion  from 
the  perpendicular  which  had  suggested  the  necessity  of 
erecting  a  new  edifice,  and  the  building  in  which  the  "  lec 
ture"  on  feudal  tenures  and  aristocracy  was  now  to  be  deli- 
vered. 

The  new  meeting-house  at  Little  Nest  was  a  much  more 
pretending  edifice  than  its  predecessor.  It  was  also  of  wood, 
but  a  bold  diverging  from  "  first  principles"  had  been  ven 
tured  on,  not  only  in  physical,  but  in  the  moral  church. 
The  last  was  "  new-school ;"  as,  indeed,  was  the  first. 
What  "  new-school"  means,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  I  do  not 
exactly  know,  but  I  suppose  it  to  be  some  improvement  on 
some  other  improvement  of  the  more  ancient  and  venerable 
dogmas  of  the  sect  to  which  it  belongs.  These  improve 
ments  on  improvements  are  rather  common  among  us,  and 
are  favourably  viewed  by  a  great  number  under  the  name 
of  progress ;  though  he  who  stands  at  a  little  distance  can, 
half  the  time,  discover  that  the  parties  in  progress  very  often 
come  out  at  the  precise  spot  from  which  they  started. 

For  my  part,  I  find  so  much  wisdom  in  the  bible — so  pro- 
found  a  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  of  its  tendencies — 
counsel  so  comprehensive  and  so  safe,  and  this  solely  in  re 
ference  to  the  things  of  this  life,  that  I  do  not  believe  every 
thing  is  progress  in  the  right  direction  because  it  sets  us  in 
motion  on  paths  that  are  not  two  thousand  years  old !  I 


232  THE    REDSKINS. 

believe  that  we  have  quite  as  much  that  ought  to  be  kept, 
as  of  that  which  ought  to  be  thrown  away ;  and  while  1 
admit  the  vast  number  of  abuses  that  have  grown  up  in  the 
old  world,  under  the  "  spirit  of  their  institutions,"  as  our 
philosophers  would  say,  I  can  see  a  goodly  number  that 
are  also  growing  up  here,  certainly  not  under  the  same 
"  spirit,"  unless  we  refer  them  both,  as  a  truly  wise  man 
would,  to  our  common  and  miserable  nature. 

The  main  departure  from  first  principles,  in  the  sense  of 
material  things,  was  in  the  fact  that  the  new  meeting-house 
had  only  one  row  of  windows,  and  that  the  windows  of  that 
row  had  the  pointed  arch.  The  time  has  been  when  this 
circumstance  would  have  created  a  schism  in  the  theo 
logical  world;  and  I  hope  that. my  youth  and  inexperience 
will  be  pardoned,  if  I  respectfully  suggest  that  a  pointed 
arch,  or  any  other  arch  in  wood,  ought  to  create  another  in 
the  world  of  taste. 

But  in  we  went,  men,  women  and  children ;  uncle  Ro 
Mr.  Warren,  Mary,  Seneca,  Opportunity,  and  all,  the  Injins 
excepted.  For  some  reason  connected  with  their  policy5 
those  savages  remained  outside,  until  the  whole  audience 
had  assembled  in  grave  silence.  The  orator  was  in,  or  on 
a  sort  of  .stage,  which  was  made,  under  the  new-light  sys 
tem  in  architecture,  to  supersede  the  old,  inconvenient,  and 
ugly  pulpit,  supported  on  each  side  by  two  divines,  of  what 
denomination  I  shall  not  take  on  myself  to  say.  It  will  be 
sufficient  if  I  add  Mr.  Warren  was  not  one  of  them.  He 
and  Mary  had  taken  their  seats  quite  near  the  door,  and 
under  the  gallery.  I  saw  that  the  rector  was  uneasy  the 
moment  the  lecturer  and  his  two  supporters  entered  the  pul 
pit,  and  appeared  on  the  stage ;  and  at  length  he  arose,  and 
followed  by  Mary,  he  suddenly  left  the  building.  In  an 
instant  I  was  at  their  side,  for  it  struck  me  indisposition 
was  the  cause  of  so  strange  a  movement.  Fortunately,  at 
this  moment,  the  whole  audience  rose  in  a  body,  and  one 
of  the  ministers  commenced  an  extempore  prayer. 

At  that  instant,  the  Injins  had  drawn  themselves  up 
around  the  building,  close  to  its  sides,  and  under  the  open 
windows,  in  a  position  that  enabled  them  to  hear  all  that 
passed.  As  I  afterwards  learned,  this  arrangement  was 
made  with  an  understanding  with  those  within,  one  of  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  233 

ministers  having  positively  refused  to  address  the  throne  of 
Grace  so  long  as  any  of  the  tribe  were  present.  Well  has 
it  been  said,  that  man  often  strains  at  a  gnat,  and  swallows 
Q  camel ! 


CHAPTER  XV 

"  I  tell  thee,  Jack  Cade,  the  clothier  means  to  to  dress  the  common 
health,  and  turn  it,  and  put  a  new  nap  upon  it." 

King  Henry  VI. 

As  I  knew  Mary  must  have  communicated  to  her  father 
my  real  name,  I  did  not  hesitate,  as  I  ought  to  have  done  In 
my  actual  dress  and  in  my  assumed  character,  about  fol 
lowing  them,  in  order  to  inquire  if  I  could  be  of  any  ser 
vice.  I  never  saw  distress  more  strongly  painted  in  any 
man's  countenance  than  it  was  in  that  of  Mr.  Warren,  when 
I  approached.  So  very  obvious,  indeed,  was  his  emotion, 
that  I  did  not  venture  to  obtrude  myself  on  him,  but  followed 
in  silence ;  and  he  and  Mary,  slowly  walked,  side  by  side, 
across  the  street  to  the  stoop  of  a  house,  of  which  all  the 
usual  inmates  had  probably  gone  in  the  other  direction. 
Here,  Mr.  Warren  took  a  seat,  Mary  still  at  his  side,  while 
I  drew  near,  standing  before  him. 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Littlepage,"  the  divine  at  length  said, 
with  a  smile  so  painful  it  was  almost  haggard,  "  for,  so 
Mary  tells  me  you  should  be  called  —  I  thank  you  for  thih 
attention,  sir — but,  it  will  be  over  in  another  minute — I  feer- 
better  now,  and  shall  be  able  to  command  myself." 

No  more  was  then  said,  concerning  the  reason  of  thifr 
distress ;  but  Mary  has  since  explained  to  me  its  cause. 
When  her  father  went  into  the  meeting-house,  he  had  not  tht 
smallest  idea  that  anything  like  a  religious  service  would  h* 
dragged  into  the  ceremonies  of  such  a  day.  The  two  mi 
nisters  on  the  stage  first  gave  him  the  alarm ;  when  a  mos* 
painful  struggle  occurred  in  his  mind,  whether  or  not  hi 
should  remain,  and  be  a  party  to  the  mockery  of  addressing 
20* 


234  THE     REDSKINS. 

God  in  prayer,  in  an  assembly  collected  to  set  at  naught 
one  of  the  plainest  of  his  laws  —  nay,  with  banded  felons 
drawn  up  around  the  building,  as  principal  actors  in  the 
whole  mummery.  The  alternative  was  for  him,  a  minister 
of  the  altar,  to  seem  to  quit  those  who  were  about  to  join  in 
prayer,  and  to  do  this  moreover  under  circumstances  which 
might  appear  to  others  as  if  he  rejected  all  worship  but  that 
which  was  in  accordance  with  his  own  views  of  right,  a 
notion  that  would  be  certain  to  spread  far  and  near,  greatly 
to  the  prejudice  of  his  own  people.  But  the  first,  as  he 
viewed  the  matter,  involved  a  species  of  blasphemy ;  and 
yielding  to  his  feelings,  he  took  the  decided  step  he  had,  in 
tending  to  remain  out  of  the  building,  until  the  more  regular 
business  of  the  day  commenced. 

It  is  certain  Mr.  Warren,  who  acted  under  the  best  im 
pulse  of  Christian  feeling,  a  reverence  for  God,  and  a  pro 
found  wish  not  to  be  a  party  in  offending  him  with  the 
mockery  of  worship  under  such  circumstances,  has  lost 
much  influence,  and  made  many  enemies,  by  the  step  he 
then  took.  The  very  same  feeling  which  has  raised  the 
cry  of  aristocracy  against  every  gentleman  who  dwells  in 
sufficiently  near  contact  with  the  masses  to  distinguish  his 
habits  from  those  around  him ;  which  induces  the  eastern 
emigrant,  who  comes  from  a  state  of  society  where  there 
are  no  landlords,  to  fancy  those  he  finds  here  ought  to  be 
pulled  down,  because  he  is  not  a  landlord  himself;  which 
enables  the  legislator  to  stand  up  in  his  place,  and  unblush- 
ingly  talk  about  feudal  usages,  at  the  very  instant  he  is 
demonstrating  that  equal  rights  are  denied  to  those  he  would 
fain  stigmatize  as  feudal  lords,  has  extended  to  religion,  and 
the  church  of  which  Mr.  Warren  was  a  minister,  is  very 
generally  accused  of  being  aristocratic,  too !  This  charge 
is  brought  because  it  has  claims  which  other  churches  affect 
to  renounce  and  reject  as  forming  no  part  of  the  faith  ;  but 
the  last  cannot  remain  easy  under  their  own  decisions; 
and  while  they  shout,  and  sing  that  they  have  found  "  a 
church  without  a  bishop,"  they  hate  the  church  that  has  a 
bishop,  because  it  has  something  they  do  not  possess  them 
selves,  instead  of  pitying  its  deluded  members,  if  they  be 
lieve  them  wrong.  This  will  not  be  admitted  generally,  but 
it  is  nevertheless  true;  and  betrays  itself  in  a  hundred  ways. 


THE     REDSKINS.  235 

It  is  seen  in  the  attempt  to  call  their  own  priests  bishops,  in 
the  feeling  so  manifest  whenever  a  cry  can  be  raised  against 
their  existence,  and  in  the  general  character  of  these  theo 
logical  rallies,  whenever  they  do  occur. 

For  one,  I  see  a  close  analogy  between  my  own  church,  as 
it  exists  in  this  country,  and  comparing  it  with  that  from  which 
it  sprung,  and  to  those  which  surround  it,  and  the  true  political 
circumstances  of  the  two  hemispheres.  In  discarding  a  vast 
amount  of  surplusage,  in  reducing  the  orders  of  the  ministry 
in  practice,  as  well  as  in  theory,  to  their  primitive  number, 
three,  and  in  rejecting  all  connection  with  the  State,  the  Ame 
rican  branch  of  the  Episcopal  Church  has  assumed  the  posi 
tion  it  was  desirous  to  fill ;  restoring,  as  near  as  may  be,  the 
simplicity  of  the  apostolical  ages,  while  it  does  not  disregard 
the  precepts  and  practices  of  the  apostles  themselves.  It 
has  not  set  itself  above  antiquity  and  authority,  but  merely 
endeavoured  to  sustain  them,  without  the  encumbrances  of 
more  modern  abuses.  Thus,  too,  has  it  been  in  political 
things.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  create  new  organic 
social  distinctions  in  this  country,  but  solely  to  disencumber 
those  that  are  inseparable  from  the  existence  of  all  civilized 
society,  of  the  clumsy  machinery  with  which  the  expe 
dients  of  military  oppressors  had  invested  them.  The  real 
sages  of  this  country,  in  founding  its  institutions,  no  more 
thought  of  getting  rid  of  the  landlords  of  the  country,  than 
the  church  thought  of  getting  rid  of  its  bishops.  The  first 
knew  that  the  gradations  of  property  were  an  inevitable 
incident  of  civilization  ;  that  it  would  not  be  wise,  if  it  were 
possible,  to  prevent  the  affluent  from  making  large  invest 
ments  in  the  soil  j  and  that  this  could  not  be  done  in  prac 
tice,  without  leaving  the  relation  of  landlord  and  tenant. 
Because  landlords,  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  possessed 
privileges  that  were  not  necessary  to  the  natural  or  simple 
existence  of  the  character,  was  no  reason  for  destroying 
the  character  itself;  any  more  than  the  fact  that  the 
bishops  of  England  possess  an  authority  the  apostles 
knew  nothing  of,  rendered  it  proper  for  the  American 
branch  of  the  church  to  do  away  with  an  office  that  came 
from  the  apostles.  But,  envy  and  jealousy  do  not  pause 
to  reflect  on  such  things ;  it  is  enough  for  them,  in  the  one 
case,  that  you  and  yours  have  estates,,  and  occupy  social 


236  THE     REDSKINS. 

positions,  that  I  and  mine  do  not,  and  cannot  easily,  occupy 
and  oossess ;  therefore  I  will  oppose  you,  and  join  my  voice 
to  the  cry  of  those  who  wish  to  get  their  farms  for  nothing; 
and  in  the  other,  that  you  have  bishops  when  we  can  have 
none  without  abandoning  our  present  organization  and  doc 
trines. 

I  dwell  on  these  points  at  some  little  length,  because  the 
movements  of  Mr.  Warren  and  myself,  at  that  moment,  had 
a  direct  influence  on  the  circumstances  that  will  soon  be 
related.  It  is  probable  that  fully  one-half  of  those  collected 
in  the  Little  Nest  meeting-house,  that  morning,  as  they  stood 
up,  and  lent  a  sort  of  one-sided  and  listless  attention  to  the 
prayer,  were  thinking  of  the  scandalous  and  aristocratical 
conduct  of  Mr.  Warren,  in  "  goin'  out  o'  meetin'  just  as 
meetin'  went  to,  prayers !"  Few,  indeed,  were  they  who 
would  be  likely  to  ascribe  any  charitable  motive  for  the 
act ;  and  probably  not  one  of  those  present  thought  of  the 
true  and  conscientious  feeling  that  had  induced  it.  So  the 
world  wags !  It  is  certain  that  a  malignant  and  bitter  feel 
ing  was  got  up  against  the  worthy  rector  on  that  occasion, 
and  for  that  act,  which  has  not  yet  abated,  and  which  will 
not  abate  in  many  hundreds,  until  the  near  approach  of 
death  shall  lay  bare  to  them  the  true  character  of  so  many 
of  their  own  feelings. 

It  was  :ome  minutes  before  Mr.  Warren  entirely  regained 
his  composure.  At  length  he  spoke  to  me,  in  his  usual  be 
nevolent  and  mild  way,  saying  a  few  words  that  were  com 
plimentary,  on  the  subject  of  my  return,  while  he  expressed 
his  fears  that  my  uncle  Ro  and  myself  had  been  impru 
dent  in  thus  placing  ourselves,  as  it  might  be,  in  the  lion's 
jaws. 

"  You  have  certainly  made  your  disguises  so  complete," 
he  added,  smiling,  "  as  to  have  escaped  wonderfully  well  so 
far.  That  you  should  deceive  Mary  and  myself  is  no  great 
matter,  since  neither  of  us  ever  saw  you  before ;  but,  the 
manner  in  which  your  nearest  relatives  have  been  misled, 
is  surprising.  Nevertheless,  you  have  every  inducement  to 
be  cautious,  for  hatred  and  jealousy  have  a  penetration  that 
does  not  belong  even  to  love." 

"  We  think  we  are  safe,  sir,"  I  answered,  "  for  we  are 
cortainly  within  the  statute.  We  are  too  well  aware  of  our 


THE     REDSKINS.  237 

miserable  aristocratical  condition  to  place  ourselves  within 
the  grasp  of  the  law,  for  such  are  our  eminent  privileges  as 
a  landed  nobility,  that  we  are  morally  certain  either  of  us 
would  not  only  be  sent  to  the  state's  prison  were  he  to  be 
guilty  of  the  felony  those  Injins  are  committing,  and  will 
commit,  with  perfect  impunity,  but  that  he  would  be  kept 
there,  as  long  as  a  single  tear  of  anguish  could  be  wrung 
from  one  of  those  who  are  classed  with  the  aristocracy.  De 
mocracy  alone  finds  any  sympathy  in  the  ordinary  admi 
nistration  of  American  justice." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  your  irony  has  only  too  much  truth  in 
it.  But  the  movement  around  the  building  would  seem  to 
say  that  the  real  business  of  the  day  is  about  to  commence, 
and  we  had  better  return  to  the  church." 

"  Those  men  in  disguise  are  watching  us,  in  a  most  un 
pleasant  and  alarming  manner,"  said  Mary  Warren,  delight 
ing  me  far  more  by  the  vigilance  she  thus  manifested  in  my 
behalf,  than  alarming  me  by  the  fact. 

That  we  were  watched,  however,  became  obviously  appa 
rent,  as  we  walked  towards  the  building,  by  the  actions  of 
some  of  the  Injins.  They  had  left  the  side  of  the  church 
where  they  had  posted  themselves  during  the  prayer,  and 
head  was  going  to  head,  among  those  nearest  to  us ;  or,  it 
would  be  nearer  to  appearances,  were  I  to  say  bunch  of 
calico  was  going  to  bunch  of  calico,  for  nothing  in  the  form 
of  a  head  was  visible  among  them.  Nothing  was  said  to 
Mr.  Warren  and  Mary,  however,  who  were  permitted  to  go 
into  the  meeting-house,  unmolested ;  but  two  of  these  dis 
guised  gentry  placed  themselves  before  me,  laying  their 
rifles  across  my  path,  and  completely  intercepting  my  ad 
vance. 

"  Who  you  ?"  abruptly  demanded  one  of  the  two ;  — 
"  where  go — where  come  from  ?" 

The  answer  was  ready,  and  I  trust  it  was  sufficiently 
steady. 

"  I  coomes  from  Charmany,  und  I  goes  into  der  kerch, 
as  dey  say  in  mine  coontry ;  what  might  be  callet  meetin'- 
'us,  here." 

What  might  have  followed,  it  is  not  easy  to  say,  had  not 
the  loud,  declamatory  voice  of  the  lecturer  just  then  been 
heard,  as  he  commenced  his  address.  This  appeared  to  be 


238  THE     REDSKINS. 

a  signal  for  the  tribe  to  make  some  movement,  for  the  two 
fellows  who  had  stopped  me,  walked  silently  away,  though 
bag  of  calico  went  to  bag  of  calico,  as  they  trotted  off  toge 
ther,  seemingly  communicating  to  each  other  their  suspi 
cions.  I  took  advantage  of  the  opening,  and  passed  into 
the  church,  where  I  worked  my  way  through  the  throng, 
and  got  a  seat  at  my  uncle's  side. 

I  have  neither  time,  room,  nor  inclination  to  give  any., 
thing  like  an  analysis  of  the  lecture.  The  speaker  was 
fluent,  inflated,  and  anything  but  logical.  Not  only  did  he 
contradict  himself,  but  he  contradicted  the  laws  of  nature. 
The  intelligent  reader  will  not  require  to  be  reminded  of  the 
general  character  of  a  speech  that  was  addressed  to  the 
passions  and  interests  of  such  an  audience,  rather  than  to 
their  reason.  He  commented,  at  first,  on  the  particular 
covenants  of  the  leases  on  the  old  estates  of  the  colony, 
alluding  to  the  quarter-sales,  chickens,  days'  work,  and  du 
rable  tenures,  in  the  customary  way.  The  reservation  of 
the  mines,  too,  was  mentioned  as  a  tyrannical  covenant, 
precisely  as  if  a  landlord  were  obliged  to  convey  any  more 
of  the  rights  that  were  vested  in  him,  than  he  saw  fit;  or  the 
tenant  could  justly  claim  more  than  he  had  hired !  This 
man  treated  all  these  branches  of  the  subject,  as  if  the 
tenants  had  acquired  certain  mysterious  interests  by  time 
and  occupation,  overlooking  the  fact  that  the  one  party  got 
just  as  good  a  title  as  the  other  by  this  process ;  the  lease 
being  the  instrument  between  them,  that  was  getting  to  be 
venerable.  If  one  party  grew  old  as  a  tenant,  so  did  the 
other  as  a  landlord.  I  thought  that  this  lecturer  would  have 
been  glad  to  confine  himself  to  the  Manor  leases,  that  being 
the  particular  branch  of  the  subject  he  had  been  accustomed 
to  treat ;  but,  such  was  not  the  precise  nature  of  the  job  he 
was  now  employed  to  execute.  At  Ravensnest,  he  could 
not  flourish  the  feudal  grievance  of  the  quarter-sales,  the 
"  four  fat  fowls,"  the  "  days'  works,"  and  the  length  of  the 
leases.  Here  it  was  clearly  his  cue  to  say  nothing  of  the 
three  first,  and  to  complain  of  the  shortness  of  the  leases,  as 
mine  were  about  to  fall  in,  in  considerable  numbers.  Find 
ing  it  was  necessary  to  take  new  ground,  he  determined  it 
should  be  bold  ground,  and  such  as  would  give  him  the  least 
trouble  to  get  along  with. 


THE     REDSKINS.  2o9 

A3  soon  as  the  lecturer  had  got  through  with  his  general 
neads,  and  felt  the  necessity  of  coming  down  to  particulars, 
he  opened  upon  the  family  of  Littlepage,  in  a  very  declama 
tory  way.  What  had  they  ever  done  for  the  country,  he 
demanded,  that  they  should  be  lords  in  the  land?  By  some 
process  known  to  himself,  he  had  converted  landlords  into 
ords  in  the  land,  and  was  now  aiming  to  make  the  tenants 
occupy  the  latter  station — nay,  both  stations.  Of  course, 
some  services  of  a  public  character,  of  which  the  Little- 
pages  might  boast,  were  not  touched  upon  at  all,  everything 
of  that  nature  being  compressed  into  what  the  lecturer  and 
his  audience  deemed  serving  the  people,  by  helping  to  indulge 
them  in  all  their  desires,  however  rapacious  or  wicked.  As 
everybody  who  knows  anything  of  the  actual  state  of 
matters  among  us,  must  be  aware  how  rarely  the  "  people" 
hear  the  truth,  when  their  own  power  and  interests  are  in 
question,  it  is  not  surprising  that  a  very  shallow  reasoner 
was  enabled  to  draw  wool  over  the  eyes  of  the  audience  of 
Ravensnest  on  that  particular  subject. 

But  my  interest  was  most  awakened  when  this  man  came 
to  speak  of  myself.  It  is  not  often  that  a  man  enjoys  the 
same  opportunity  as  that  I  then  possessed  to  hear  his  own 
character  delineated,  and  his  most  private  motives  analyzed. 
In  the  first  place,  the  audience  were  told  that  this  "  young 
Hugh  Liltlepage  had  never  done  anything  for  the  land  that 
he  proudly,  and  like  a  great  European  noble,  he  calls  his 
'  estate.'  Most  of  you,  fellow-citizens,  can  show  your  hard 
hands,  and  recall  the  burning  suns  under  which  you  have 
opened  the  swarth,  through  those  then  lovely  meadows 
yonder,  as  your  titles  to  these  farms.  But,  Hugh  Littlepage 
never  did  a  day's  work  in  his  life" — ten  minutes  before  he 
had  been  complaining  of  the  "  days'  work"  in  the  Manor 
leases  as  indignities  that  a  freeman  ought  not  to  submit  to — 
"no,  fellow-citizens,  he  never  had  that  honour,  and  never 
will  have  it,  until  by  a  just  division  of  his  property,  or  what 
he  now  calls  his  property,  you  reduce  him  to  the  necessity 
of  labouring  to  raise  the  crops  he  wants  to  consume." 

"Where  is  this  Hugh  Littlepage  at  this  very  moment? 
In  Paris,  squandering  your  hard  earnings  in  riotous  living, 
according  to  the  best  standards  of  aristocracy.  He  lives  in 
the  midst  of  abundance,  dresses  richly  and  fares  richly, 


240  THE     REDSKINS. 

while  you  and  yours  are  eating  the  sweat  of  your  brows. 
He  is  no  man  for  a  pewter  spoon  and  two-pronged  fork ! 
N&,  my  countrymen  !  He  must  have  a  gold  spoon  for  some 
of  his  dishes,  and  you  will  find  it  hard  to  believe — plain, 
unpretending,  republican  farmers  as  you  are,  but  it  is  not 
the  less  true — he  must  have  forks  of  silver!  Fellow-citi 
zens,  Hugh  Littlepage  would  not  put  his  knife  into  his 
mouth,  as  you  and  I  do,  in  eating — as.  all  plain,  unpretend 
ing  republicans  do — for  the  world.  It  would  choke  him; 
no,  he  keeps  silver  forks  to  touch  his  anointed  lips  !"  Here 
there  was  an  attempt  to  get  up  something  like  applause,  but 
it  totally  failed.  The  men  of  Ravensnest  had  been  accus 
tomed  all  their  lives  to  see  the  Littlepages  in  the  social  sta 
tion  they  occupied ;  and,  after  all,  it  did  not  seem  so  very 
extraordinary  that  we  should  have  silver  forks,  any  more 
than  that  others  should  have  silver  spoons.  The  lecturer 
had  the  tact  to  see  that  he  had  failed  on  this  point,  and  he 
turned  to  another. 

The  next  onset  was  made  against  our  title.  Whence 
did  it  come?  demanded  the  lecturer.  From  the  king1  of 
England ;  and  the  people  had  conquered  the  country  from 
that  sovereign,  and  put  themselves  in  his  place.  Now,  is  it 
not  a  good  principle  in  politics,  that  to  the  victors  belong 
the  spoils?  He  believed  it  was;  and  that  in  conquering 
America,  he  was  of  opinion  that  the  people  of  America  had 
conquered  the  land,  and  that  they  had  a  right  to  take  the 
land,  and  to  keep  it.  Titles  from  kings  he  did  not  respect 
much ;  and  he  believed  the  American  people,  generally,  did 
not  think  much  of  them.  If  Hugh  Littlepage  wished  an 
"  estate,"  as  he  called  it,  let  him  come  to  the  people  and 
"  sarve  them"  and  see  what  sort  of  an  estate  they  would 
give  him. 

But  there  was  one  portion  of  his  speech  which  was  so 
remarkable,  that  I  must  attempt  to  give  it,  as  it  was  uttered. 
It  was  while  the  lecturer  was  expatiating  on  this  subject  of 
titles,  that  he  broke  out  in  the  following  language  : — *«  Don't 
talk  to  me,"  he  bellowed  —  for  by  this  time  his  voice  had 
risen  to  the  pitch  of  a  methodist's,  in  a  camp-meeting  — 
"  Don't  talk  to  me  of  antiquity,  and  time,  and  length  of  pos 
session,  as  things  to  be  respected.  They're  nawthin' — jest 
nawthin'  at  all.  Possession  's  good  in  law,  I  Ml  admit ;  anq 


THE     REDSKINS.  24! 

!  contind  that 's  jest  what  the  tenants  has.  They  've  got  the 
lawful  possession  of  this  very  property,  that  layeth  (no! 
eggs,  but)  up  and  down,  far  and  near,  and  all  around ;  u 
rich  and  goodly  heritage,  when  divided  up  among  hard 
working  and  honest  folks;  but  too  much,  by  tens  of  thou 
sands  of  acres,  for  a  young  chap,  who  is  wasting  his  sub 
stance  in  foreign  lands,  to  hold.  I  contind  that  the  tenants 
has  this  very,  precise,  lawful  possession,  at  this  blessed  mo 
ment,  only  the  law  won't  let  'em  enj'y  it.  It 's  all  owing  tc 
that  accursed  law,  that  the  tenant  can't  set  up  a  title  ag'in 
his  landlord.  You  see  by  this  one  fact,  fellow-citizens,  that 
they  are  a  privileged  class,  and  ought  to  be  brought  down 
to  the  level  of  gin'ral  humanity.  You  can  set  up  title  ag'in 
anybody  else,  but  you  shan't  set  up  title  ag'in  a  landlord. 
I  know  what  is  said  in  the  primisis,"  shaking  his  head,  in 
derision  of  any  arguments  on  the  other  side  of  this  particu 
lar  point ;  "  I  know  that  circumstances  alter  cases.  I  can 
see  the  hardship  of  one  neighbour's  coming  to  another,  and 
asking  to  borrow  or  hire  his  horse  for  a  day,  and  then  pre- 
tendin'  to  hold  him  on  some  other  ketch.  But  horses  isn't 
land ;  you  must  all  allow  that.  No,  if  horses  was  land, 
the  case  would  be  altered.  Land  is  an  element,  and  so  is 
fire,  and  so  is  water,  and  so  is  air.  Now,  who  will  say  that 
a  freeman  hasn't  a  right  to  air,  hasn't  a  right  to  water,  and, 
on  the  same  process,  hasn't  a  right  to  land  ?  He  has,  fellow- 
citizens — he  has.  These  are  what  are  called  in  philosophy 
elementary  rights ;  which  is  the  same  thing  as  a  right  to 
the  elements,  of  which  land  is  one,  and  a  principal  one.  I 
say  a  principal  one;  for,  if  there  was  no  land  to  stand  on, 
we  should  drop  away  from  air,  and  couldn't  enj'y  that ;  we 
«hould  lose  all  our  water  in  vapour,  and  couldn't  put  it  to 
millin'  and  manafacterin'  purposes ;  and  where  could  we 
build  our  fires  ?  No ;  land  is  the  first  elementary  right,  and 
connected  with  it  comes  the  first  and  most  sacred  right  ta 
the  elements. 

"  I  do  not  altogether  disregard  antiquity,  neither.  No ; 
I  respect  and  revere  pre-emption  rights  ;  for  they  fortify  and 
sustain  the  right  to  the  elements.  Now,  I  do  not  condemn 
squattin',  as  some  doos.  It's  actin'  accordin'  to  natur',  and 
natur'  is  right.  I  respect  and  venerate  a  squatter's  posses* 
sion ;  for  it 's  held  under  the  sacred  principle  of  usualness. 
21 


242  THE     REDSKINS. 

It  says,  <  go  and  make  the  wilderness  blossom  as  the  rose, 
and  means  «  progress.'  That 's  an  antiquity  I  respect.  1 
respect  the  antiquity  of  your  possessions  here,  as  tenant*; 
for  it  is  a  hard-working  and  useful  antiquity  —  an  antiquity 
that  increases  and  multiplies.  If  it  be  said  that  Hugh  Lit- 
tlepage's  ancestors  —  your  noble  has  his  *  ancestors,'' while 

us  '  common  folks'  are  satisfied  with  forefathers" [this  hit 

took  with  a  great  many  present,  raising  a  very  general 
Jaugh] — "but  if  this  Hugh's  ancestors  did  pay  anything 
for  the  land,  if  I  was  you,  fellow-citizens,  I'd  be  gin'rous^ 
and  let  him  have  it  back  ag'in.  Perhaps  his  forefathers 
gave  a  cent  an  acre  to  the  king  —  may  be,  two ;  or  say  six- 
pence,  if  you  will.  I  'd  let  him  have  his  sixpence  an  acre 
back  again,  by  way  of  shutting  his  mouth.  No ;  I  'm  for 
nawthin'  that's  ungin'rous." 

"Fellow-citizens,  I  profess  to  be  what  is  called  a  Demo- 

M-ato    I  know  that  many  of  you  be  what  is  called  Whigs but 

[  apprehend  there  is'nt  much  difference  between  us°on  the 
subject  of  this  system  of  leasing  land.  We  are  all  republi 
cans,  and  leasing  farms  is  anti-republican.  Then,  I  wish 
(o  be  liberal  even  to  them  I  commonly  oppose  at  elections, 
and  I  will  freely  admit,  then,  on  the  whull,  the  Whigs  have 
rather  out-done  us  Democrats,  on  the  subject  of  this  anti- 
rentism.  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  own  in  it,  but  it  must 
be  confessed  that,  while  in  the  way  of  governors,  there 
'hasn't  ^been  much  difference — yes,  put  'em  in  a  bag,  and 
shake  'em  up,  and  you'd  hardly  know  which  would  come 
out  first— which  has  done  himself  the  most  immortal  honour, 
which  has  shown  himself  the  most  comprehensive,  profound 
and  safe  statesman;  I  know  that  some  of  our  people  com 
plain  of  the  governors  for  ordering  out  troops  ag'in  the 
Injins,  but  they  could  not  kelp  that— they  wouldn't  have 
done  it,  in  my  judgment,  had  there  been  any  way  of  getting 
round  it;  but  the  law  was  too  strong  for  them,  so  they 
druv'  in  the  Injins,  and  now  they  join  us  in  putting  down 
aristocracy,  and  in  raising  up  gin'ral  humanity.  No;  I  don't 
go  ag'in  the  governors,  though  many  doos." 

"  But  I  profess  to  be  a  Democrat,  and  I'll  give  an  out- 
line^of  my  principles,  that  all  may  see  why  they  can't,  and 
don't,  and  never  will  agree  with  aristocracy  or  nobility,  in 
any  form  or  shape.  I  believe  one  man  is  as  good  as  an 


THE     REDSKINS.  243 

other  in  all  things.  Neither  birth,  nor  law,  nor  edication, 
nor  riches,  nor  poverty,  nor  anything-  else  can  ever  make 
any  difference  in  this  principle,  which  is  sacred,  and  funda 
mental,  and  is  the  chief'stone  of  the  corner  in  true  Democracy. 
One  man  is  as  good  as  another,  I  say,  and  has  just  the  same 
right  to  the  enj'yment  of  'arth  and  its  privileges,  as  any 
other  man.  I  think  the  majority  ought  to  rule  in  all  things, 
and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  minority  to  submit.  Now,  I've 
had  this  here  sentiment  thrown  back  upon  me,  in  some 
places  where  I  have  spoken,  and  been  asked  *  how  is  this — • 
the  majority  must  rule,  and  the  minority  must  submit — in 
that  case,  the  minority  is'nt  as  good  as  the  majority  in  prac 
tice,  and  hasn't  the  same  right.  They  are  made  to  own 
what  they  think  ought  not  to  be  done?  The  answer  to  this 
is  so  plain,  I  wonder  a  sensible  man  can  ask  the  question, 
for  all  the  minority  has  to  do,  is  to  join  the  majority,  to  have 
things  as  they  want  'em.  The  road  is  free,  and  it  is  this 
open  road  that  makes  true  liberty.  Any  man  can  fall  in 
with  the  majority,  and  sensible  folks  commonly  do,  when 
they  can  find  it,  and  that  makes  a  person  not  only  a  man, 
as  the  saying  is,  but  a  FREEMAN,  a  still  more  honourable 
title." 

"  Fellow-citizens,  a  great  movement  is  in  progress,  "  Go 
ahead!"  is  the  cry,  and  the  march  is  onward;  our  thoughts 
already  fly  about  on  the  wings  of  the  lightning,  and  our 
bodies  move  but  little  slower,  on  the  vapour  of  steam — soon 
our  principles  will  rush  ahead  of  all,  and  let  in  the  radiance 
of  a  glorious  day  of  universal  reform,  and  loveliness,  and 
virtue  and  charity,  when  the  odious  sound  of  rent  will  never 
be  heard,  when  every  man  will  set  down  under  his  own 
apple,  or  cherry  tree,  if  not  under  his  own  fig  tree. 

"  I  am  a  Democrat, — yes,  a  Democrat.  Glorious  appel 
lation  !  I  delight  in  it !  It  is  my  pride,  my  boast,  my  very 
virtue.  Let  but  the  people  truly  rule,  and  all  must  come 
'well.  The  people  has  no  temptation  to  do  wrong.  If  they 
hurt  the  state,  they  hurt  themselves,  for  they  are  the  state. 
Is  a  man  likely  to  hurt  himself?  Equality  is  my  axiom. 
Nor,  by  equality,  do  I  mean  your  narrow  pitiful  equality 
before  the  law,  as  it  is  sometimes  tarmed,  for  that  may  be 
no  .equality  at  all ;  but,  I  mean  an  equality  that  is  substan 
tial,  and  which  must  be  restored,  when  the  working  of  the 


244  THE    REDSKINS. 

law  has  deranged  it.  Fellow-citizens,  do  vou  know  what 
leap-year  means?  I  dare  say  some  of  you  don't,  the  ladies 
in  particular  not  giving  much  attention  to  astronomy.  Well, 
I  have  inquired,  and  it  is  this:— The  'arth  revolves  around 
the  sun  in  a  year,  as  we  all  know.  And  we  count  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  days  in  a  year,  we  all  know.  But, 
the  'arth  is  a  few  hours  longer  than  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  days,  in  making  its  circuit — nearly  six  hours  longer. 
Now,  everybody  knows  that  4  times  6  makes  24,  and  so  a 
twenty-ninth  day  is  put  into  February,  every  fourth  year,  to 
restore  the  lost  time ;  another  change  being  to  be  made  a 
long  distance  ahead  to  settle  the  fractions.  Thus  will  it  be 
with  Democracy.  Human  natur'  can't  d-evise  laws  yet,  that 
will  keep  all  things  on  an  exactly  equal  footing,  and  political 
leap-years  must  be  introduced  into  the  political  calendar,  to 
restore  the  equilibrium.  In  astronomy,  we  must  divide  up 
anew  the  hours  and  minutes ;  in  humanity,  we  must,  from 
time  to  time,  divide  up  the  land." 

But,  I  cannot  follow  this  inflated  fool  any  longer;  for  he 
was  quite  as  much  of  fool  as  of  knave,  though  partaking 
largely  of  the  latter  character.  It  was  plain  that  he  carried 
many  of  his  notions  much  farther  than  a  good  portion  of 
his  audience  carried  theirs ;  though,  whenever  he  touched 
upon  anti-rentism,  he  hit  a  chord  that  vibrated  through  the 
whole  assembly.  That  the  tenants  ought  to  own  their 
farms,  and  pay  no  more  rents,  AND  POCKET  ALL  THE  BENE 
FITS  OF  THEIR  OWN  PREVIOUS  LABOURS,  THOUGH  THESE 
LABOURS  HAD  BEEN  CONSIDERED  IN  THE  EARLIER  RENTS, 
AND  WERE,  INDEED,  STILL  CONSIDERED,  IN  THE  LOW  RATES 

AT  WHICH  THE  LANDS  WERE  LET,  was  a  doctrine  all  could 
understand ;  and  few  were  they,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  who  did 
not  betray  how  much  self-love  and  self-interest  had  ob 
scured  the  sense  of  right. 

The  lecture,  such  as  it  was,  lasted  more  than  two  hours  ; 
and  when  it  was  done,  an  individual  rose,  in  the  character 
of  a  chairman — when  did  three  Americans  ever  get  together 
to  discuss  anything,  that  they  had  not  a  chairman  and  se 
cretary,  and  all  the  parliamentary  forms?— and  invited  any 
one  present,  who  might  entertain  views  different  from  the 
speaker,  to  give  his  opinion.  Never  before  did  I  feel  so 
tempted  to  speak  in  public.  Mv  first  impulse  was  to  throw 


THE     REDSKINS.  245 

away  the  wig,  and  come  out  in  my  own  person,  and  expose 
the  shallow  trash  that  had  just  been  uttered.  I  believe  even 
I,  unaccustomed  as  I  was  to  public  speaking,  could  easily 
have  done  this,  and  I  whispered  as  much  to  my  uncle,  who 
was  actually  on  his  feet,  to  perform  the  office  for  me,  when 
the  sound  of  "  Mr.  Chairman,"  from  a  different  part  of  the 
church,  anticipated  him.  Looking  round,  I  recognised  at 
once  the  face  of  the  intelligent  mechanic,  named  Hall  whom 
we  had  met  at  Mooseridge,  on  our  way  to  the  Nest.  I  took 
my  seat,  at  once,  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  subject  was  in 
good  hands. 

This  speaker  commenced  with  great  moderation,  both  of 
manner  and  tone,  and.  indeed,  he  preserved  them  through 
out.  His  utterance,  accent  and  language,  of  course,  were 
all  tinctured  by  his  habits  and  associations;  but  his  good 
sense  and  his  good  principles  were  equally  gifts  from  above. 
More  of  the  "  true  image  of  his  maker"  was  to  be  found  in 
that  one  individual  than  existed  in  fifty  common  men.  He 
saw  clearly>  spoke  clearly,  and  demonstrated  effectively. 
As  he  was  well  known  in  that  vicinity  and  generally  re 
spected,  he  was  listened  to  with  profound  attention,  and 
spoke  like  a  man  who  stood  in  no  dread  of  tar  and  feathers. 
Had  the  same  sentiments  been  delivered  by  one  in  a  fine 
coat,  and  a  stranger,  or  even  by  myself,  who  had  so  much 
at  stake,  very  many  of  them  would  have  been  incontinently 
set  down  as  aristocratic,  and  not  to  be  tolerated,  the  most 
sublimated  lover  of  equality  occasionally  falling  into  these 
little  contradictions. 

Hall  commenced  by  reminding  the  audience  that  they  all 
knew  him,  and  knew  he  was  no  landlord.  He  was  a  me 
chanic,  and  a  labouring  man,  like  most  of  themselves,  and 
had  no  interest  that  could  be  separate  from  the  general  good 
of  society.  This  opening  was  a  little  homage  to  prejudice, 
since  reason  is  reason,  and  right  right,  let  them  come  whence 
they  will.  "  I,  too,  am  a  democrat,"  he  went  on  to  say, 
"  but  I  do  not  understand  democracy  to  mean  anything  like 
that  which  has  been  described  by  the  last  speaker.  I  tell 
that  gentleman  plainly,  that  if  he  is  a  democrat,  I  am  none, 
and  if  I  am  a  democrat,  he  is  none.  By  democracy  I  un 
derstand  a  government  in  which  the  sovereign  power  resides 
in  the  body  of  the  nation  ;  and  not  in  a  few,  or  in  one.  But 
21* 


246  THE    REDSKINS. 

this  principle  no  more  gives  the  body  of  the  people  authority 
to  act  wrong,  than  in  a  monarchy,  in  which  the  sovereign 
power  resides  in  one  man,  that  one  man  has  a  right  to  act 
wrong.  By  equality,  I  do  not  understand  anything  more 
than  equality  before  the  law — now,  if  the  law  had  said  that 
when  the  late.  Mai  bone  Littlepage  died,  his  farms  should  go 
not  to  his  next  of  kin,  or  to  his  devisee,  but  to  his  neigh 
bours,  then  that  would  have  been  the  law  to  be  obeyed, 
although  it  would  be  a  law  destructive  of  civilization,  since 
men  would  never  accumulate  property  to  go  to  the  public. 
Something  nearer  home  is  necessary  to  make  men  work, 
and  deny  themselves  what  they  like. 

"  The  gentleman  has  told  us  of  a  sort  of  political  leap- 
year  that  is  to  regulate  the  social  calender.  I  understand 
him  to  mean  that  when  property  has  got  to  be  unequal,  it 
must  be  divided  up,  in  order  that  men  may  make  a  new 
start.  I  fear  he  will  have  to  dispense  with  leap  years,  and 
come  to  leap  months,  or  leap  weeks,  ay,  or  even  to  leap 
days  ;  for,  was  the  property  of  this  township  divided  up  this 
very  morning,  and  in  this  meetin'-us,  it  would  get  to  be  un 
equal  before  night.  Some  folks  can't  keep  money  when 
they  have  it;  and  others  can't  keep  their  hands  off  it. 

"  Then,  again,  if  Hugh  Littlepage's  property  is  to  be 
divided,  the  property  of  all  of  Hugh  Littlepage's  neighbours 
ought  to  be  divided  too,  to  make  even  an  appearance  of 
equality  ;  though  it  would  be  but  an  appearance  of  equality, 
admitting  that  were  done,  since  Hugh  Littlepage  has  more 
than  all  the  rest  of  the  town  put  together.  Yes,  fellow- 
citizens,  Hugh  Littlepage  pays,  at  this  moment,  one-twen 
tieth  of  the  taxes  of  this  whole  county.  That  is  about  the 
proportion  of  Ravensnest ;  and  that  tax,  in  reality,  comes 
out  of  his  pockets,  as  much  the  greater  part  of  the  taxes  of 
Rensselaer  and  Albany  counties,  if  you  will  except  the  cities 
they  contain,  are  paid  by  the  Rensselaers.  It  wun't  do  to 
tell  me  the  tenants  pay  the  taxes,  for  I  know  better.  We 
all  know  that  the  probable  amount  of  the  taxes  is  estimated 
in  the  original  bargain,  and  is  so  much  deducted  from  the 
rent,  and  comes  out  of  the  landlord  if  it  come  out  of  any 
body.  There  is  a  good  reason  why  the  tenant  should  pay 
it,  and  a  reason  that  is  altogether  in  his  interest;  because 
the  law  would  make  his  oxen,  and  horses,  and  carts  liable 


THE     REDSKINS.  247 

for  the  taxes,  should  the  landlord  neglect  to  pay  the  taxes. 
The  collector  always  sells  personals  for  a  tax  if  he  can  find 
them  on  the  property ;  and  by  deducting  it  from  the  rent, 
and  paying  it  himself,  the  tenant  makes  himself  secure 
against  that  loss.  To  say  that  a  tenant  don't  take  any 
account  of  the  taxes  he  will  be  likely  to  pay,  in  making  his 
bargain,  is  as  if  one  should  say  he  is  non  com.  and  not  fit 
to  be  trusted  with  his  own  affairs.  There  are  men,  in  this 
community,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  who  wish  a  law  passed  to 
tax  the  rents  on  durable  leases,  or  on  all  leases,  in  order  to 
choke  the  landlords  off  from  their  claims,  but  such  men  are 
true  friends  to  neither  justice  nor  their  country.  Such  a 
law  would  be  a  tax  on  the  incomes  of  a  particular  class  of 
society,  and  on  no  other.  It  is  a  law  that  would  justify  the 
aggrieved  parties  in  taking  up  arms  to  resist  it,  unless  the 
law  would  give  'em  relief,  as  I  rather  think  it  would.  By 
removing  into  another  State,  however,  they  would  escape 
the  tax  completely,  laugh  at  those  who  framed  it,  who  would 
incur  the  odium  of  doing  an  impotent  wrong,  and  get  laughed 
at  as  well  as  despised,  besides  injuring  the  State  by  drawing 
away  its  money  to  be  spent  out  of  its  limits.  Think,  for 
one  moment,  of  the  impression  that  would  be  made  of  New 
York  justice,  if  a  hundred  citizens  of  note  and  standing  were 
to  be  found  living  in  Philadelphia  or  Paris,  and  circulating 
to  the  world  the  report  that  they  were  exiles  to  escape  a 
special  taxation  !  The  more  the  matter  was  inquired  into, 
the  worse  it  must  appear;  for  men  may  say  what  they 
please,  to  be  ready  ag'in  election  time,  as  there  is  but  one 
piece,  or  parcel  of  property  to  tax,  it  is  an  income  tax,  and 
nothing  else.  What  makes  the  matter  still  worse  is,  that 
every  man  of  sense  will  know  that  it  is  taxing  the  samo 
person  twice,  substantially  for  the  same  thing,  since  the 
landlord  has  the  direct  land  tax  deducted  from  the  rent  in 
the  original  bargain. 

"  As  for  all  this  cry  about  aristocracy,  I  don't  understand 
it.  Hugh  Littlepage  has  just  as  good  a  right  to  his  ways  as 
[  have  to  mine.  The  gentleman  says  he  needs  gold  spoons 
and  silver  forks  to  eat  with.  Well,  what  of  that?  I  dare 
say  the  gentleman  himself  finds  a  steel  knife  and  fork  use 
ful,  and  has  no  objection  to  a  silver,  or,  at  least,  to  a  pewter 


2 18  THE     REDSKINS. 

spoon.  Now,  there  are  folks  that  use  wooden  forks,  or  no 
•brks,  and  who  are  glad  to  get  horn  spoons ;  and  they  might 
rail  that  gentleman  himself  an  aristocrat.  This  setting  of 
•  urselves  up  as  the  standard  in  all  things  is  anything  bu< 
iiberty.  If  I  don't  like  to  eat  my  dinner  with  a  man  who 
uses  a  silver  fork,  no  man  in  this  country  can  compel  me. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  young  Mr.  Littlepage  don't  like  a  com- 
i  -inion  who  chews  tobacco,  as  I  do,  he  ought  to  be  left  to 
follow  his  own  inclination. 

**  Then,  this  doctrine  that  one  man 's  as  good  as  another 
has  got  two  sides  to  it.  One  man  ought  to  have  the  same 
general  rights  as  another,  I  am  ready  to  allow ;  but  if  one 
man  is  as  good  as  another,  why  do  we  have  the  trouble  and 
c.ost  of  elections?  We  might  draw  lots,  as  we  do  for  jurors, 
and  save  a  good  deal  of  time  and  money.  We  all  know 
'here  is  ch'ice  in  men,  and  I  think  that  so  long  as  the  people 
have  their  ch'ice  in  sayin'  who  shall  and  who  shall  not  be 
their  agents,  they  've  got  all  they  have  any  right  to.  So 
long  as  this  is  done,  the  rest  of  the  world  may  be  left  to 
follow  their  own  ways,  provided  they  obey  the  laws. 

"  Then,  I  am  no  great  admirer  of  them  that  are  always 
telling  the  people  they  're  parfect.  I  know  this  county  pretty 
well,  as  well  as  most  in  it;  and  if  there  be  a  parfect  man  in 
Washington  county,  I  have  not  yet  fallen  in  with  him.  Ten 
millions  of  imparfect  men  won't  make  one  parfect  man,  and 
so  I  don't  look  for  perfection  in  the  people  any  more  than  I 
do  in  princes.  All  I  look  for  in  democracy  is  to  keep  the 
reins  in  so  many  hands  as  to  prevent  a  few  from  turning 
everything  to  their  own  account ;  still,  we  mustn't  forget 
that,  when  a  great  many  do  go  wrong,  it  is  much  worse 
than  when  a  few  go  wrong. 

"  If  my  son  didn't  inherit  the  property  of  Malbone  Little- 
page,  neither  will  Malbone  Littlepage's  son  inherit  mine. 
We  are  on  a  footing  in  that  respect.  As  to  paying  rent, 
which  some  persons  think  so  hard,  what  would  they  do  if 
they  had  no  house  to  live  in,  or  farm  to  work  ?  If  folks 
wish  to  purchase  houses  and  farms,  no  one  can  prevent  them 
if  they  have  money  to  do  it  with ;  and  if  they  have  not,  ia 
it  expected  other  people  are  to  provide  them  with  such  things 
out  of  their  own " 


W  II  E     REDSKINS.  249 

Here  the  speaker  was  interrupted  by  a  sudden  whooping, 
and  the  Injins  came  pressing  into  the  house  in  a  way  to 
drive  in  all  the'aisles  before  them.  Men,  women  and  children 
leaped  from  the  windows,  the  distance  being  trifling,  while 
others  made  their  escape  by  the  two  side-doors,  the  Injins 
coming  in  only  by  the  main  entrance.  In  less  time  than  it 
takes  to  record  the  fact,  the  audience  had  nearly  all  d  - 
persed. 


CHAPTEK  XYI. 

"  And  yet  it  is  said,  —  Labour  in  thy  vocation  :  which  is  as  much 
as  to  say,  —  let  the  magistrates  be  labouring  men;  and  therefore 
should  we  be  magistrates." 

King  Henry  VI. 

IN  a  minute  or  two  the  tumult  ceased,  and  a  singular 
scene  presented  itself.  The  church  had  four  separate  groups 
or  parties  left  in  it,  besides  the  Injins,  who  crowded  the 
main  isle.  The  chairman,  secretary,  two  ministers  an-d  lec 
turer,  remained  perfectly  tranquil  in  their  seats,  probably 
understanding  quite  well  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  the 
intruders.  Mr.  Warren  and  Mary  were  in  another  corner, 
under  the  gallery,  he  having  disdained  flight,  and  prudently 
kept  his  daughter  at  his  side.  My  uncle  and  myself  were 
the  pendants  of  the  two  last  named,  occupying  the  opposite 
corner,  also  under  the  gallery.  Mr.  Hall,  and  two  or  three 
friends  who  stuck  by  him,  were  in  a  pew  near  the  wall,  but 
about  half  way  down  the  church,  the  former  erect  on  a  seat, 
where  he  had  placed  himself  to  speak. 

"  Proceed  with  your  remarks,  sir,"  coolly  observed  the 
chairman,  who  was  one  of  those  paradoxical  anti-renters 
who  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  Injins,  though  he  knew  all 
about  them,  and,  as  I  have  been  told,  was  actually  foremost 
in  collecting  and  disbursing  their  pay.  At  this  instant  Se 
neca  Newcome  sneaked  in  at  a  side  door,  keeping  as  far  as 
possible  from  the  "  disguised  and  armed,"  but  curious  to 
ascertain  what  would  come  next. 

As  for  Hall,  he  behaved  with  admirable  self-possession. 
He  probably  knew  that  his  former  auditors  were  collecting 


250  THE     REDSKINS. 

under  the  windows,  and  by  raising  his  voice  he  would  be 
easily  heard.  At  all  events,  he  did  elevate  his  voice,  and 
went  on  as  if  nothing  had  happened. 

"  I  was  about  to  say  a  word,  Mr.  Chairman,  on  the  natur' 
of  the  two  qualities  that  have,  to  me,  at  least,  seemed  up 
permost  in  the  lecturer's  argooment" — yes,  this  sensible, 
well-principled  man  actually  used  that  detestable  sound,  just 
as  I  have  written  it,  calling  '  argument'  '  argooment' — what 
a  pity  it  is  that  so  little  attention  is  paid  to  the  very  first 
principles  of  speaking  the  language  well  in  this  country,  the 
common  schools  probably  doing  more  harm  than  they  do 
good  in  this  respect — "  that  have,  to  nr;e,  at  least,  seemed 
uppermost  in  the  lecturer's  argooment,  and  they  are  both 
those  that  God  himself  has  viewed  as  of  so  great  importance 
to  our  nature  as  to  give  his  express  commandments  about 
them.  He  has  commanded  us  not  to  steal,  and  he  has  com 
manded  us  not  to  covet  our  neighbour's  goods  ;  proof  suffi 
cient  that  the  possession  of  property  is  sanctioned  by  divine 
authority,  and  that  it  is  endowed  with  a  certain  sanctity  of 
privilege.  Now  for  the  application. 

"  You  can  do  nothing  as  to  leases  in  existence,  because 
the  State  can't  impair  a  contract.  A  great  deal  is  said  about 
this  government's  being  one  of  the  people,  and  that  the  peo 
ple  ought  to  do  as  they  please.  Now,  I  'm  a  plain  man, 
and  am  talking  to  plain  men,  and  mean  to  talk  plainly. 
That  this  is  a  government  of  the  people,  being  a  democracy, 
or  because  the  sovereign  power,  in  the  last  resort,  resides 
in  the  body  of  the  people,  is  true;  but  that  this  is  a  govern 
ment  of  the  people,  in  the  common  signification,  or  as  too 
many  of  the  people  themselves  understand  it,  is  not  true. 
This  very  interest,  about  which  there  is  so  much  commo 
tion,  or  the  right  to  interfere  with  contracts,  is  put  beyond 
the  people  of  the  State  by  a  clause  in  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States.  Now,  the  constitution  of  the  United  States 
might  be  altered,  making  another  provision  saying  that  '  no 
State  shall  ever  pass  any  law  to  do  away  with  the  existence 
of  durable  leases,'  and  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  New 
York  be  opposed  to  such  a  change,  but  they  would  have  to 
swallow  it.  Come,  let  us  see  what  figures  will  do.  There 
are  twenty-seven  States  in  actual  existence,  and  soon  will 
bo  thirty.  I  don't  care  on  which  number  you  calculate ; 


THE     REDSKINS.  251 

say  thirty,  if  you  please,  as  that  is  likely  to  be  the  number 
before  the  constitution  could  be  altered.  Well,  twenty-three 
of  these  States  can  put  a  clause  into  the  constitution,  saying 
you  shan't  meddle  with  leases.  This  might  leave  the  seven 
most  popular  States,  with  every  voter,  opposed  to  the  change. 
I  've  made  a  calculation,  and  find  what  the  seven  most  popu 
lous  States  had  in  1840,  and  I  find  that  more  than  half  of 
all  the  population  of  the  country  is  contained  in  them  seven 
States,  which  can  be  made  to  submit  to  a  minority.  Nor 
is  this  all ;  the  alteration  may  be  carried  by  only  one  vote 
in  each  of  the  twenty-three  States,  and,  deducting  these  from 
the  electors  in  the  seven  dissenting  States,  you  might  have 
a  constitutional  change  made  in  the  country  against  a  ma 
jority  of  say  two  millions !  It  follows  that  the  people,  in 
the  common  meaning,  are  not  as  omnipotent  as  some  sup 
pose.  There's  something  stronger  than  the  people,  after 
all,  and  that's  principles,  and  if  we  go  to  work  to  tear  to 
pieces  our  own " 

It  was  impossible  to  hear  another  word  that  the  speaker 
said.  The  idea  that  the  people  are  not  omnipotent,  was  one 
little  likely  to  find  favour  among  any  portion  of  the  popula 
tion  that  fancies  themselves  to  be  peculiarly  the  people.  So 
much  accustomed  to  consider  themselves  invested  with  the 
exercise  of  a  power  which,  in  any  case,  can  be  rightfully 
exercised  by  only  the  whole  people,  have  local  assemblages 
got  to  be,  that  they  often  run  into  illegal  excesses,  fancying 
even  their  little  fragment  of  the  body  politic  infallible,  as 
well  as  omnipotent,  in  such  matters  at  least.  To  have  it 
openly  denied,  therefore,  that  the  popular  fabric  of  American 
institutions  is  so  put  together,  as  to  leave  it  in  the  power  of 
a  decided  minority  to  change  the  organic  law,  as  is  unques 
tionably  the  fact  in  theory,  however  little  likely  to  occur  in 
practice,  sounded  in  the  ears  of  Mr.  Hall's  auditors  like 
political  blasphemy.  Those  under  the  windows  groaned, 
while  the  gang  in  the  aisle  whooped  and  yelled,  and  that  in 
a  fashion  that  had  all  the  exaggeration  of  a  caricature.  It 
was  very  apparent  that  there  was  an  end  of  all  the  delibe 
rative  part  of  the  proceedings  of  the  day. 

Hall  seemed  neither  surprised  nor  uneasy.  He  wiped  his 
face  very  coolly,  and  then  took  his  seat,  leaving  the  Injins 
to  dance  about  the  church,  flourishing  their  rifles  and  knives, 


"2  52  THE     REDSKINS. 

in  a  way  that  might  have  frightened  one  less  steady,  ^s 
for  Mr.  Warren,  he  led  Mary  out,  though  there  was  a  mo^e- 
ment  that  threatened  to  stop  him.  My  uncle  and  myself 
followed,  the  whooping  and  screaming  being  really  unplea 
sant  to  the  ear.  As  to  the  chairman,  the  secretary,  and  tha 
two  ministers  of  the  gospel,  they  kept  their  stations  on  the 
stage,  entirely  self-possessed  and  unmolested.  No  one  went 
near  them,  a  forbearance  that  must  have  been  owing  to  the 
often  alleged  fact  that  the  real  anti-renters,  the  oppressed 
tenantry  of  New  York,  and  these  vile  masqueraders,  had 
nothing  to  do  with  each  other ! 

One  of  the  astounding  circumstances  of  the  times,  is  the 
general  prevalence  of  falsehood  among  us,  and  the  almost 
total  suppression  of  truth.  No  matter  what  amount  of  evi 
dence  there  may  be  to  contradict  a  statement,  or  how  often 
it  has  been  disproved,  it  is  reaffirmed,  with  just  as  much 
assurance,  as  if  the  matter  had  never  been  investigated  ;  ay, 
and  believed,  as  if  its  substance  were  uncontradicted.  I  am 
persuaded  there  is  no  part  of  the  world,  in  which  it  is  more 
difficult  to  get  a  truth  into  the  public  mind,  when  there  is  a 
motive  to  suppress  it,  than  among  ourselves.  This  may 
seem  singular,  when  it  is  remembered  how  many  journals 
there  are,  which  are  uttered  with  the  avowed  purpose  to 
circulate  information.  Alas !  the  machinery  which  can  be 
used  to  give  currency  to  truth,  is  equally  efficient  in  giving 
currency  to  falsehood.  There  are  so  many  modes,  too,  of 
diluting  truth,  in  addition  to  the  downright  lies  which  are 
told,  that  I  greatly  question  if  one  alleged  fact,  out  of  twenty 
that  goes  the  rounds  of  the  public  prints,  those  of  the  com 
moner  sort  excepted,  is  true  in  all  its  essentials.  It  requires 
so  much  integrity  of  purpose,  so  much  discrimination,  such 
a  sensitiveness  of  conscience,  and  often  so  large  a  degree  of 
self-sacrifice  in  men  to  speak  nothing  but  truth,  that  one  is 
not  to  expect  that  their  more  vulgar  and  irresponsible  agents 
are  to  possess  a  quality  that  is  so  very  rare  among  the  very 
best  of  the  principals. 

If  I  was  glad  to  get  out  of  the  church  myself,  the  reader 
may  depend  on  it,  I  was  rejoiced  when  I  saw  Mr.  Warren 
leading  Mary  towards  tne  place  where  I  had  left  his  wagonr 
as  if  about  to  quit  a  scene  that  now  promised  nothing  but 
clamour  and  wrangling,  if  not  something  more  serious. 


THE     REDSKINS.  253 

Uncle  Ro  desired  me  to  bring  out  the  wagon  in  which  we 
had  left  the  farm ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  a  species  of  general 
panic,  in  which  the  women,  in  particular,  went  flying  about 
in  all  directions,  I  proceeded-  to  comply.  It  was  at  this 
moment  that  a  general  pause  to  all  movements  was  pro 
duced  by  the  gang  of  Injins  pouring  out  of  the  church, 
oringing  in  their  centre  the  late  speaker,  Mr.  Hall.  As  the 
chairman,  secretary,  lecturer,  and  the  two  "  ministers  of  the 
gospel,"  followed,  it  was  conclusive  ae  to  the  termination  of 
anything  like  further  discussion. 

My  uncle  called  me  back,  and  I  thought  was  disposed  to 
assist  Hall,  who,  manfully  supported  by  the  two  or  three 
friends  that  had  stood  by  him  the  whole  day,  was  now 
moving  towards  us,  surrounded  by  a  cluster  of  wrangling 
and  menacing  Injins;  the  whole  party  bearing  no  little 
resemblance  to  a  pack  of  village  curs  that  sets  upon  the 
strange  dog  that  has  ventured  in  among  them. 

Oaths  and  threats  filled  the  air;  and  poor  Hall's  ears 
were  offended  by  an  imputation  that,  I  dare  say,  they  then 
heard  for  the  first  time.  He  was  called  a  "  d d  aristo 
crat."  and  a  hireling  in  the  pay  of"  d d  aristocrats."  To 

all  this,  however,  the  sturdy  and  right-thinking  blacksmith 
was  very  indifferent;  well  knowing  there  was  not  a  fact 
connected  with  his  existence,  or  a  sentiment  of  his  moral 
being,  that  would  justify  any  such  charge.  It  was  in  an 
swer  to  this  deadly  imputation  that  I  first  heard  him  speak 
again,  after  he  had  been  interrupted  in  the  church. 

"  Call  me  what  you  please,"  he  cried,  in  his  clear,  full 
voice ;  "  I  don't  mind  hard  names.  There  isn't  a  man 
among  you  who  thinks  I  'm  an  aristocrat,  or  the  hireling  of 
any  one ;  but  I  hope  I  am  not  yet  so  great  a  knave  as  to 
wish  to  rob  a  neighbour  because  he  happens  to  be  richer 
than  I  am  myself." 

"  Who  gave  Hugh  Littlepage  his  land  ?"  demanded  one, 
in  the  midst  of  the  gang,  speaking  without  the  affectation 
of  mimicry,  though  the  covering  to  his  head  sufficiently 
changed  his  voice.  "  You  know,  yourself,  it  came  from 
the  king." 

"  He  never  worked  for  an  acre  of  it !"  bawled  another. 
*  If  he  was  a  hard-working,  honest  man,  like  yourself,  Tim 
22 


254  THE    REDSKINS. 

Hall,  we  might  bear  it ;  but  you  know  he  is  not.     He 's  a 
spendthrift  and  an  aristocrat." 

"  I  know  that  hard  hands  don't  make  a  man  honest,  any 
more  than  soft  hands  make  him  a  rogue,"  answered  Tim 
Hall,  with  spirit.  "  As  for  the  Littlepages,  they  are  gentle 
men  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  and  always  have  been. 
Their  word  will  pass  even  now,  when  the  bond  of  many  a 
man  who  sets  himself  up  ag'in  them  wouldn't  be  looked  at." 

I  was  grateful  and  touched  with  this  proof  that  a  charac 
ter,  which  I  fully  believed  to  be  merited,  was  not  lost  on 
one  of  the  most  intelligent  men  of  his  class,  in  that  part  of 
the  country.  Envy,  and  covetousness,  and  malignancy, 
may  lie  as  they  will,  but  the  upright  recognize  the  upright ; 
the  truly  poor  know  who  most  assuage  their  sorrows  and 
relieve  their  wants ;  and  the  real  lover  of  liberty  under 
stands  that  its  privileges  are  not  to  be  interpreted  altogether 
in  his  own  favour.  I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  such  a  man's 
being  ill-treated  by  a  gang  of  disguised  blackguards  —  fel 
lows,  who  added  to  the  crime  of  violating  a  positive  law, 
the  high  moral  offence  of  prostituting  the  sacred  principles 
of  liberty,  by  professing  to  drag  them  into  the  service  of  a 
cause,  which  wanted  very  little,  in  its  range,  to  include  all 
the  pickpockets  and  thieves  in  the  land. 

"  They  will  do  that  noble  fellow  some  injury,  I  fear,"  I 
whispered  to  my  uncle. 

"  If  it  were  not  for  the  mortification  of  admitting  our  dis 
guise,  I  would  go  forward  at  once,  and  attempt  to  bring  him 
out  of  the  crowd,"  was  the  answer.  "  But  that  will  not  do, 
under  the  circumstances.  Let  us  be  patient,  and  observe 
what  is  to  follow." 

"  Tar  and  feathers  !"  shouted  some  one  among  the  Injins  ; 
"  Tar  and  feather  him  !"  "  Crop  him,  and  send  him  home  !" 
answered  others.  "  Tim  Hall  has  gone  over  to  the  enemy," 
added  the  Injin  who  asked  whence  I  had  my  lands. 

I  fancied  I  knew  that  voice,  and  when  its  tones  had  been 
repeated  two  or  three  times,  it  struck  me  it  was  that  of 
Seneca  Newcome.  That  Seneca  was  an  anti-renter,  was 
no  secret ;  but  that  he,  a  lawyer,  would  be  guilty  of  the  great 
indiscretion  of  committing  felony,  was  a  matter  about  which 
one  might  well  entertain  a  doubt.  To  urge  others  to  be 
guilty,  was  a  different  matter,  but  to  commit  himself  seemed 


THE     REDSKINS.  255 

unlikely.  With  a  view  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  figure  I  dis« 
trusted,  I  looked  out  for  some  mode  by  which  he  might  be 
known.  A  patch,  or  rather  goar  in  the  calico,  answered 
admirably,  for  on  looking  at  others,  I  saw  that  this  goar 
was  accidental,  and  peculiar  to  that  particular  dress,  most 
probably  owing  to  a  deficiency  in  the  material  originally 
supplied. 

All  this  time,  which  indeed  was  but  a  minute  or  two,  the 
tumult  continued.  The  Injins  seemed  undetermined  what 
to  do;  equally  afraid  to  carry  out  their  menaces  against 
Hall,  and  unwilling  to  let  him  go.  At  the  very  instant 
when  we  were  looking  for  something  serious,  the  storm 
abated,  and  an  unexpected  calm  settled  on  the  scene.  How 
this  was  effected,  I  never  knew ;  though  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  an  order  had  been  communicated  to  the  Injins,  by 
some  signal  that  was  known  only  to  themselves.  Of  the 
result  there  was  no  doubt;  the  crowd  around  Hall  opened, 
and  that  sturdy  and  uncompromising  freeman  came  out  of 
it,  wiping  his  face,  looking  heated  and  a  little  angry.  He 
did  not  yield,  however,  remaining  near  the  spot,  still  sup- 
oorted  by  the  two  or  three  friends  who  had  accompanied  him 
from  Mooseridge. 

My  uncle  Ro,  on  reflection,  conceived  it  wisest  not  to  seem 
in  a  hurry  to  quit  the  village,  and  as  soon  as  I  had  ascer 
tained  that  Mr.  Warren  had  come  to  a  similar  decision,  and 
had  actually  taken  refuge  in  the  house  of  a  parishioner,  I 
*  was  agreeable,'  as  the  English  say.  While  the  pedlar, 
therefore,  made  a  new  display  of  his  watches,  I  strolled 
round  among  the  crowd,  Injins  and  others  intermixed,  to  see 
what  could  be  seen,  and  to  glean  intelligence.  In  the  course 
of  my  wanderings,  chance  brought  me  close  to  the  side  of 
the  masquer  in  the  dress  with  the  goar.  Tickling  him  gen- 
tly  on  the  elbow,  I  induced  him  to  step  a  little  aside  with  me, 
where  our  conversation  would  not  be  overheard. 

"  Why  might  you  be  Injin — gentleman  as  you  be?"  I 
asked,  with  as  much  of  an  air  of  simplicity,  as  I  could 
assume. 

The  start  with  which  this  question  was  met,  convinced 
me  I  was  right;  and  I  scarce  needed  farther  confirmation 
of  the  justice  of  my  suspicion.  If  I  had,  however,  it  was 
afforded. 


256  THE     REDSKINS. 

"Why  ask  Injin  dat?"  returned  the  man  with  the 
gear. 

"  Veil,  dat  might  do,  and  it  might  not  do,  'Squire  New- 
come  ;  but  it  might  not  do  wid  one  as  knows  you  as  veil  as 
I  know  you.  So  dell  me ;  vy  might  you  be  Injin  ?" 

"  Harkee,"  said  Seneca,  in  his  natural  speech,  and  evi 
dently  much  disturbed  by  my  discovery;  "you  must,  on  no 
account,  let  it  be  known  who  I  am.  You  see,  this  Injin  busi 
ness  is  ticklish  work,  and  the  law  might — that  is — you  could 
get  nothing  by  mentioning  what  you  know,  but  as  you  have 
said,  as  I'm  a  gentleman,  and  an  attorney  at  law,  it  wouldn't 
sound  well  to  have  it  said  that  I  was  caught  dressed  up  in 
this  manner,  playing  Injin." 

"Ja  —  ja  —  I  oonderstants  —  gentlemans  might  not  do 
sich  dings,  und  not  be  laughed  at — dat's  all." 

"  Ye-e-e-s — that's  all,  as  you  say,  so  be  careful  what  you 
say,  oV  hint  about  it.  Well,  since  you've  found  me  out,  it's 
my  treat.  What  shall't  be?" 

This  was  not  very  elegant  for  a  '  gentleman,'  and  '  an  at 
torney  at  law,'  certainly,  but,  as  it  belonged  to  the  school  of 
Mr.  Newcome,  it  struck  me  it  might  not  be  prudent  for  me 
to  betray  that  I  belonged  to  one  of  a  different  sort.  Affect 
ing  contentment,  therefore,  I  told  him  what  he  pleased,  and 
he  led  me  to  a  store  of  all  business,  that  was  kept  by  his 
brother,  and  in  which,  as  I  afterwards  found,  he  himself 
was  a  partner.  Here  he  generously  treated  me  tq  a  glass 
of  fiery  whiskey,  which  I  managed  to  spill  in  a  way  that 
prevented  my  being  choked.  This  was  adroitly  enough 
effected,  as  a  refusal  to  drink  would  have  been  taken  as  a 
most  suspicious  circumstance  in  a  German.  As  respects 
Americans  of  my  assumed  class,  I  am  happy  to  say  it  is  now 
more  possible  for  one  to  refuse  a  glass  than  to  accept  it.  It 
says  a  good  deal  in  favour  of  the  population  of  a  country, 
when  even  the  coachman  declines  his  whet.  Nevertheless, 
a  nation  may  become  perfectly  sober,  and  fall  away  with 
fearful  rapidity  on  other  great  essentials.  On  the  subject  of 
sobriety,  I  agree  altogether  with  my  uncle,  in  thinking  that 
the  Americans  drink  much  less  than  most,  if  not  less  than  any 
European  nation;  the  common  notion  that  long  prevailed  to 
the  contrary  in  the  country,  being  no  more  than  the  fruits 
of  the  general  disposition,  in  other  people,  to  decry  \emo- 


THE     REDSKINS.  257 

cracy,  aided  somewhat,  perhaps,  by  the  exaggerations  that 
are  so  common  in  all  the  published  statistics  of  morals. 

I  remarked  that  very  few  even  of  the  Injins  drank,  though 
they  now  began  to  circulate  freely  among  the  crowd  and  in 
the  stores.  Seneca  left  me  as  soon  as  he  fancied  he  had 
clenched  my  discretion  with  a  treat,  and  I  stood  looking 
round  at  the  manner  in  which  the  "armed  and  disguised" 
conducted  themselves.  One  fellow,  in  particular,  attracted 
my  attention ;  and  his  deportment  may  be  taken  as  a  speci 
men  of  that  of  many  of  his  comrades. 

I  was  soon  struck  by  the  fact  that  Orson  Newcome,  Se 
neca's  brother  and  partner,  was  obviously  desirous  of  hav 
ing  as  little  to  do  with  any  of  the  Injins  as  possible.  As 
soon  as  one  entered  his  store,  he  appeared  uneasy;  and 
whenever  one  left  it,  he  seemed  glad.  At  first,  I  was  in 
clined  to  think  that  Orson, — what  names  will  not  the  great 
eastern  family  adopt,  before  they  have  got  through  with  their 
catalogue!  —  really,  they  seem  to  select  their  appellations 
as  they  do  so  many  other  things,  or  to  prove  that  they  *ll 
do  as  they  please; — but,  Orson,  I  fancied  at  first,  was  influ 
enced  by  principle,  and  did  not  care  to  conceal  the  disgust 
he  felt  at  such  audacious  and  illegal  proceedings.  But  I 
soon  discovered  my  mistake,  by  ascertaining  the  true  cause 
of  his  distaste  for  the  presence  of  an  Injin. 

"  Injin  want  calico,  for  shirt" — said  one  of  these  worthies 
significantly,  to  Orson,  who,  at  first,  affected  not  to  hear 
him. 

The  demand  was  repeated,  however,  with  additional  sig 
nificance,  when  the  cloth  was  reluctantly  thrown  on  the 
counter. 

"  Good,"  said  the  Injin,  after  examining  the  quality , 
"  cut  Injin  twenty  yard — good  measure,  hear !" 

The  calico  was  cut,  with  a  sort  of  desperate  submission ; 
the  twenty  yards  were  folded,  enveloped,  and  handed  to  the 
customer,  who  coolly  put  the  bundle  under  his  arm,  saying, 
ns  he  turned  to  leave  the  store — "Charge  it  to  Down  Rent." 

The  mystery  of  Orson's  sullenness  was  now  explained. 
As  invariably  follows  the  abandonment  of  principle,  the 
tbmenters  of  wrong  were  suffering  smartly  through  the  en 
croachments  of  their  own  agents.  I  ascertained,  afterwards, 
that  those  very  Injins,  who  had  been  embodied  in  hundreds, 
22* 


258  THE     REDSKINS. 

with  a  view  to  look  down  law,  and  right,  and  the  sacred 
character  of  contracts,  had  begun  to  carry  out  their  main 
principle;  and  were  making  all  sorts  of  demands,  on  the 
pockets  and  property  of  their  very  employers,  under  one 
pretence  or  another,  but  with  very  obvious  tendencies  to 
wards  their  own  benefit.  The  "  Spirit  of  anti-Rentism"  was 
beginning  to  develope  itself  in  this  form,  under  the  system 
of  violence ;  as,  under  that  of  legislative  usurpation,  and 
legislative  truckling  to  numbers,  which  is  most  to  be  feared 
from  the  character  of  our  representatives,  it  will  as  cer 
tainly  be  developed,  unless  suppressed  in  the  bud,  by  such 
further  demands  on  its  complaisant  ministers,  as  will  either 
compel  them  to  repent  of  their  first  false  step,  will  drive  the 
State  to  civil  war,  or  wjll  drive  all  the  honest  men  out  of  it. 

I  did  not  remain  long  in  the  store.  After  quitting  it,  I 
went  in  quest  of  Mr.  Warren  and  Mary,  anxious  to  know 
if  I  could  be  of  any  service  to  them.  The  father  thanked 
me  for  this  attention,  and  let  me  know  that  he  was  now 
about  to  quit  the  village,  as  he  saw  others  beginning  to  go 
away,  among  whom  were  Hall,  who  was  an  old  and  much 
valued  acquaintance  of  his,  and  whom  he  had  invited  to  stop 
at  the  rectory  to  dine.  He  advised  us  to  imitate  the  exam 
ple,  as  there  were  strangers  among  the  Injins,  who  might 
be  addicted  to  drinking. 

On  this  information  I  hunted  up  my  uncle,  who  had  ac 
tually  sold  most  of  his  trinkets,  and  all  his  watches  but  one, 
the  secret  of  his  great  success  being  the  smallness  of  his 
prices.  He  sold  for  what  he  had  bought,  and  in  some  in 
stances  for  even  less,  quitting  the  place  with  the  reputation 
of  being  the  most  reasonable  jewel-pedlar  who  had  ever 
appeared  in  it. 

The  road  was  beginning  to  be  lined  with  vehicles  carry 
ing  home  the  people  who  had  collected  to  hear  the  lecture. 
As  this  was  the  first  occasion  which  offered  for  witnessing 
such  an  exhibition,  since  my  return,  I  examined  the  differ 
ent  parties  we  passed,  with  a  view  to  comparison.  There 
is  a  certain  air  of  rusticity,  even  in  the  large  towns  of  Ame 
rica,  which  one  does  not  meet  with  in  the  capitals  of  the  old 
world.  But  the  American  country  is  less  rustic  than  any 
part  of  the  world  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  England 
alone  excepted.  Of  course,  in  making  such  a  remark,  no 


THE     REDSKINS.  259 

allusion  is  intended  to  the  immediate  environs  of  very  large 
towns ;  though  I  am  far  from  certain  that  the  population  of 
St.  Ouen,  the  Runnymede  of  France,  and  which  stands 
•within  a  league  of  the  walls  of  Paris,  would  not  have  offered 
a  more  decidedly  rustic  spectacle,  than  that  which  we  then 
saw.  As  respects  females,  this  was  very  strikingly  true ; 
scarce  one  being  visible  who  had  that  air  of  coarseness,  and 
ignorance,  and  vulgarity,  which  denotes  a  degraded  condi 
tion  and  a  life  of  hardships.  There  was  little  apparent  that 
marked  a  peasantry  in  the  moral  sense  of  the  word  ;  but  the 
whole  population  seemed  to  be  at  their  ease,  using  neat  and 
well-kept  vehicles;  solid,  active  horses;  and  being  them- 
selves  reasonably  well,  though  not  very  tastefully  clad. 
Yet,  all  this  was  on  i  leased  estate,  under  the  dire  oppres 
sion  of  a  landlord,  and  beneath  the  shadow  of  aristocracy ! 
A  short  dialogue  which  took  place  bettveen  my  uncle  and 
two  sturdy  weather-beaten  husbandmen,  who  drove  their 
horses  to  a  short  distance,  on  a  walk  at  the  side  of  ours, 
made  the  impression  produced  by  such  facts  deeper  than  it 
might  otherwise  have  been.  I  will  relate  it. 

"  You  are  Jarmans,  I  b'lieve,"  commenced  the  oldest  of 
the  two  men,  a  grey-headed  tenant  of  my  own,  of  the  name 
of  Holmes,  who  was  well  known  to  us  both  —  "Jarmans, 
from  the  old  countries,  I  hear?" 

"  Ja  —  we  bees  from  der  olt  coontries ;  und  dat  is  a  great 
vay  off." 

"  Ye-e-s,  I  s'pose  it  is — I've  heern  tell  of  them  countries, 
often.  Doos  the  landlord  system  exist  there  ?" 

"  Ja  —  dere  ist  landtlorts  all  ofer  dis  work,  I  do  dinks; 
und  denants,  doo." 

"  Well,  and  how  is  the  plan  liked  there;  or  be  folks  think 
ing  of  getting  red  (rid)  on't  ?" 

"  Nein  —  how  might  dey  gets  red  of  it?  It  ist  der  law, 
you  might  see,  und  vhat  ist  der  law  moost  be  done." 

This  answer  puzzled  old  Holmes  a  good  deal.  He  passed 
a  hand  over  his  face,  and  turned  ta  his  companion,  one 
Tubbs,  also  a  tenant  on  my  estate,  as  if  to  ask  assistance. 
Tubbs  was  one  of  the  new  school ;  a  school  that  makes 
more  laws  than  it  respects,  and  belongs  to  the  movement. 
He  is  a  man  that  fancies  the  world  never  knew  anything 


260  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  principles,  facts,  or  tendencies,  until  the  commencement 
of  this  century. 

"  What  sort  of  a  government  had  you,  in  your  own  coun 
try?"  demanded  Tubbs. 

"  Bretty  goot.  Mein  coontry  was  Preussen;  und  dat  might 
be  t'ought  a  bretty  goot  gofernment." 

"Yes,  but  it's  a  kingly  government,  I  take  it; — it  seems 
to  me,  I  have  heern  tell  of  kings  in  that  land." 

"  Ja,  ja — dere  ist  ein  koenig — one  king.  De  last  might 
be  der  goet  koenig  Vilhelm,  und  now  dere  ist  his  son,  who 
ist  a  goot  koenig,  too,  as  I  might  dink.  Ja,  ja — dere  ist  a 
king." 

"  That  explains  it  all,"  cried  Tubbs,  with  a  sort  of  tri 
umph.  "  You  see,  they  have  a  king,  and  so  they  have 
tenants;  but,  here  we  have  no  king,  and  we  have  no  need 
of  landlords.  Every  man,  in  a  free  country,  should  be  his 
own  landlord  ;  that's  my  doctrine,  and  to  that  I'll  stick. 

"  There  is  some  reason  in  that,  fri'nd ;  isn't  that  your 
idee?"  asked  Holmes. 

"Veil,  I  might  not  oonderstandt.  Dost  der  shentlemans 
object  to  landlordts,  in  his  coontry,  because  dere  might  bo 
landlordts  in  dem  coontries  ast  might  haf  kings'?" 

"That's  it!  That's  just  the  reason  on't,  and  the  true 
principle  !"  answered  Tubbs.  "  Kings  and  liberty  can't  go 
together,  and  landlords  and  liberty  can't  go  together." 

"But,  might  not  der  law  in  dis  coontry  be  to  haf  land 
lordts,  too  ?  1  hear  dat  it  ist  so." 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  law,  as  it  stands ;  but  we  mean  to  alter 
it,  all.  We  have  got  so  many  votes,  now,  as  to  be  sure 
to  have  both  parties  with  us,  at  a  gin'ral  election  ;  and  give 
us  the  go'/errior  on  our  side,  with  the  sartainty  of  votes 
enough  to  turn  an  election,  and  we  're  pretty  confident  of  suc 
cess.  Votes  is  all  that  is  wanting,  in  a  truly  free  country, 
for  men  to  have  things  pretty  much  in  their  own  way." 

"  Und  dost  you  mean  to  haf  not'in  dat  might  be  in  do 
coontries  ast  haf  kings?" 

"  To  be  sure  not.  What  do  we  want  of  any  of  your 
iordly  contrivances,  to  make  the  rich  richer,  and  the  poor 
noorer." 

"  Veil,  you  moost  alter  de  law  of  nature,  if  do  rich  vilt 


THE     REDSKINS.  261 

not  get  riches,  und  de  poor  vill  not  feel  dey  be  poor.  Do 
piple  dells  us  dat  de  misery  of  de  poor  ist  deir  poverty." 

"  Ay,  ay,  bible  talk  don't  go  for  much  in  politics.  Sabba' 
days  are  set  aside  for  the  bible,  and  week  days  for  public 
and  private  matters.  Now,  here  is  Hugh  Littlepage,  of  the 
same  flesh  and  blood  as  my  neighbour  Holmes  and  myself 
be — no  better  and  no  worse ;  yes,  I  'm  willing  to  allow  he  's 
no  worse,  in  the  main,  though  in  some  things  I  do  think  we 
might  claim  the  preference;  but  I'll  allow  he's  no  worse, 
for  the  sake  of  argooment.  Each  on  us  rents  a  farm  of  this 
Littlepage,  of  a  hundred  acres  good.  Wa-a!,  this  land 
we  till,  and  crop,  and  labour,  with  bur  hands,  and  the  hands 
of  our  sons,  and  hired  help,  perhaps ;  and  yet  we  have  to 
pay  fifty  dollars  a-piece,  annually,  to  that  youngster  Hugh 
Littlepage,  for  rent ;  which  money  he  takes  and  squanders 
where  he  pleases,  in  riotous  livin',  for  't  we  know.  Now, 
is  that  right,  I  ask  ;  and  isn't  it  an  onsuitable  state  of  things 
for  a  republican  country  ?" 

"  Und  you  dinks  yoong  Littlebage  might  spend  his  money 
in  riotous  linn'  in  foreign  landts?" 

"  Sartain — that 's  the  tale,  hereabouts  ;  and  I  have  seen  a 
man  who  knows  another,  that  has  an  acquaintance  who  has 
been  in  Paris,  and  who  tells  the  people  of  his  neighbourhood 
that  he  stood  at  the  door  of  the  king's  palace  one  day,  and 
actually  saw  both  the  Littlepages  going  in  to  pay  'tribute 
unto  Caesar,'  as  it  is  called — I  suppose  you  know;  and  they 
tell  me  that  all  that  goes  to  see  a  king,  has  to  kneel  and  kiss 
his  hand — some  say  his  toe.  Do  you  happen  to  know  how 
it  is  in  the  old  countries?" 

"  It  ist  not  so ;  I  haf  seen  more  kings  as  half  a  dozen, 
und  dey  dost  not  kneel  down  and  kiss  deir*hants,  except  on 
sartain  business.  Dey  might  not  allvays  hear  what  ist  true, 
n  dis  coontry." 

"  Wa-a-1,  I  don't  know  —  I  never  was  there  to  see,"  an 
swered  Tubbs,  in  that  peculiar  manner,  which,  whenever  it 
ts  used  by  an  American,  may  safely  be  interpreted  to  mean, 
"I'll  not  contradict  you,  but  I'll  believe  what  I  please." 
That  is  what  I  've  heern  say.  But,  why  should  we  pay 
rent  to  young  Littlepage  to  spend  in  riotous  living?" 

"  I  might  not  know,  oonless  you  haf  hiret  his  landt,  und 


262  THE     REDSKINS. 

agrce't  to  pay  him  rent ;  in  which  case  you  might  do  as  you 
agree't." 

**  But  when  the  bargain's  of  a  kingly  natur',  I  say  no. 
Every  country  has  its  natur',  and  every  government  has  its 
natur',  and  all  things  should  be  in  conformity  with  natur'. 
Now  its  ag'in  natur'  to  pay  rent  in  a  republican  country.  We 
want  nothing  here,  that's  in  common  with  lords  and  kings." 

"  Veil,  den,  you  most  alter  your  whole  country.  You 
might  not  haf  wifes  und  children ;  you  might  not  lif  in 
houses,  and  plough  de  landt ;  you  might  not  eat  und  drink, 
und  you  might  not  wear  any  shirt." 

Tubbs  looked  a  little  astonished.  Like  the  Bourgeois 
Gentilhomme,  he  was  amazed  to  find  he  had  been  talking 
prose  all  his  life  without  knowing  it.  There  is  no  question 
that  laws  unsuitable  to  the  institutions  of  a  republic  might 
exist  in  a  kingdom,  but  it  is  equally  certain  that  the  law 
which  compels  the  tenant  to  pay  for  the  use  of  his  house,  or 
farm,  is  not  one  of  the  number.  Tubbs,  however,  had  been 
so  thoroughly  persuaded,  by  dint  of  talking,  there  was  some- 
ihing  exceedingly  anti-republican  in  one  man's  paying  rent 
Lo  another,  that  he  was  not  disposed  to  give  the  matter  up 
BO  easily. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  he  answered,  "  we  have  many  things  in  com 
mon  with  kingdoms,  as  men,  I  must  allow;  but  why  should 
we  have  anything  in  common  of  this  aristocratic  natur'? 
A  free  country  should  contain  freemen,  and  how  can  a  man 
be  free  if  he  doesn't  own  the  land  out  of  which  he  makes  his 
living?" 

"  Und  if  he  makes  his  lifin'  out  of  anoder  man's  land,  he 
might  be  honest  enough  to  pay  for  its  use,  I  dinks." 

"  But*,  we  hold*t  ought  not  to  be  another  man's  land,  but 
the  land  of  him  who  works  it." 

"  Dell  me  dis — dost  you  efer  let  out  a  field  to  a  poor 
neighbour  on  shares?" 

"  Sartain ;  we  all  do  that,  both  to  accommodate  folks,  and 
to  get  crops  when  we  are  crowded  with  work  ourselves." 

"  Und  why  might  not  all  dat  crop  pelong  to  him  dat  works 
de  field  ?" 

"  Oh  !  that's  doin'  business  on  a  small  scale,  and  can't  do 
anybody  harm.  But  the  American  institutions  never  in- 


THE    REDSKINS.  263 

«ended  that  there  should  be  a  great  privileged  class  among 
us,  like  the  lords  in  Europe." 

"  Did  you  efer  haf  any  difficulty  in  getting  your  hire  for 
a  field  dat  might  be  so  let  out?" 

"  Sartain.  There's  miserable  neighbours  as  well  as  them 
that  isn't.  I  had  to  sue  the  very  last  chap  I  had  such  deal- 
in's  with." 

"  Und  dit  das  law  let  you  haf  your  money?" 

"  To  be  sure  it  did  !  What  would  law  be  good  for,  if  it 
didn't  help  a  body  to  his  rights?" 

"  Und  dost  den  tenants  of  dis  broperty  let  Hugh  Littlebago 
haf  his  rents,  ast  might  be  due?" 

"  That's  a  different  thing,  I  tell  you.  Hugh  Littlepage 
has  more  than  he  wants,  and  spends  his  money  in  riotous 
livin'  in  foreign  parts." 

"  Veil,  und  sooppose  your  neighpours  might  vants  to  ask 
you  what  you  do  wit'  your  tollars  after  you  shall  sell  your 
pork  and  beef,  to  see  you  mate  goot  use  of  it — might  dat  be 
liperty?" 

"  That !  Why,  who  do  you  think  would  trouble  himself 
about  my  'arnin's.  It's  the  big  fish,  only,  that  folks  talk 
about,  and  care  about,  in  such  matters." 

"  Den  folks  make  Hugh  Littlebage  a  big  fish,  by  dair  own 
mettlin',  und  enfy,  und  cofetousness — is  it  not  so?" 

"  Harkee,  fri'nd,  I  some  think  you're  leanin'  yourself  to 
kingly  ways,  and  to  the  idees  in  which  you  was  brought  up. 
Take  my  advice,  and  abandon  all  these  notions  as  soon  as 
you  can,  for  they'll  never  be  popular  in  this  part  of  the 
world." 

Popular !  How  broad  has  the  signification  of  this  word 
got  to  be !  In  the  eyes  of  two-thirds  of  the  population  it 
already  means,  '  what  is  right/  Vox  populi,  vox  del.  To 
what  an  extent  is  this  little  word  made  to  entwine-  itself 
around  all  the  interests  of  life!  When  it  is  deemed  expe 
dient  to  inculcate  certain  notions  in  the  minds  of  the  people, 
the  first  argument  used  is  to  endeavour  to  persuade  the  inha 
bitants  of  New  York  that  the  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania 
are  already  of  that  mind.  A  simulated  public  opinion  is  the 
strongest  argument  used,  indeed,  on  every  occasion  of  the 
public  discussion  of  any  disputed  point.  He  that  can  count 
the  most  voices  is  a  better  man  than  he  who  can  give  tho 


264  THE     REDSKINS. 

most  reasons ;  numbers  carrying  more  weight  with  them, 
than  facts,  or  law.  It  is  evident,  that,  while  in  some  things, 
such  a  system  may  work  well,  there  are  others,  and  those 
of  overshadowing  importance,  in  which  its  tendency  is  direct 
and  fearful  towards  corruption. 

As  soon  as  Tubbs  had  given  his  admonition,  he  applied 
the  whip  to  his  horse,  and  trotted  on,  leaving  us  to  follow  at 
the  best  gait  we  could  extort  from  Tom  Miller's  hack. 


CHAPTER  XYIL 

« If  he  were  with  me,  King  of  Tuscarora, 

Gazing  as  I  upon  thy  portrait  now, 
In  all  its  medalled,  fringed,  and  bearded  glory, 
Its  eyes'  dark  beauty,  and  its  thoughtful  brow  — 

Its  brow,  half-martial  and  half-diplomatic  ; 

Its  eye,  upsoaring,  like  an  eagle's  wings; 
Well  might  he  boast  that  we,  the  democratic, 

Outrival  Europe — even  in  our  kings." 

Red  Jacket. 

MY  uncle  Ro  said  nothing,  when  the  two  tenants  left  us  j 
though  I  saw,  by  his  countenance,  that  he  felt  all  the  ab 
surdity  of  the  stuff  we  had  just  been  listening  to.  We  had 
got  within  half  a  mile  of  the  woods,  when  eight  Injins  came 
galloping  up  to  a  wagon  that  was  directly  behind  us,  and 
which  contained  another  of  my  tenants,  with  his  eldest  son, 
a  lad  of  sixteen,  whom  he  had  brought  with  him  as  a  scho 
lar,  in  having  his  sense  of  right  unsettled  by  the  selfish 
mystification  that  was  going  on  in  the  land ;  a  species  of 
fatherly  care  that  was  of  very  questionable  merit.  I  said 
there  were  eight  of  these  Injins,  but  there  were  only  four 
horses,  each  ~beast  carrying  double.  No  sooner  did  the 
leaders  of  the  party  reach  the  wagon  I  have  mentioned 
than  it  was  stopped,  and  its  owner  was  commanded  to  alight. 
The  man  was  a  decided  down-renter,  but  he  obeyed  the 
order  with  a  very  ill  grace;  and  did  not  obey  at  all,  indeed, 
until  he  was  helped  out  of  the  wagon,  by  a  little  gentle 


T  H  E     R  £  D  S  K  I  N  S .  26T) 

violence  of  this  fragment  of  his  own  corps  d'armee.  The 
boy  was  soon  put  into  the  highway,  when  two  of  the  "  dis 
guised  and  armed"  leaped  into  the  vacant  places,  and  drove 
on,  passing  us  at  a  furious  pace,  making  a  parting  nod  to 
the  owner  of  the  vehicle,  and  consoling  him  for  its  tempo 
rary  loss,  by  calling  out,  "Injin  want  him  —  Injin  good 
fellow — you  know." 

Whether  the  discomfited  farmer  knew  or  not,  we  could 
not  tell ;  but  he  looked  as  if  he  wished  the  Injins  anywhere 
but  in  their  "  happy  hunting  grounds."  We  drove  on 
laughing,  for  it  was  in  human  nature  to  be  amused  at  such 
an  exhibition  of  the  compulsory  system,  or  of  "  liberty  and 
equality  carried  out ;"  and  more  particularly  so,  when  I 
was  certain  that  the  "  honest,  hard-working,  horny-hand 
tiller  of  the  soil,"  wanted  to  cheat  me  out  of  a  farm ;  or,  to 
put  his  case  in  the  most  favourable  point  of  view,  wanted 
to  compel  me  to  sell  him  one  at  his  own  price.  Nor  did  our 
amusement  stop  here.  Before  we  reached  the  woods,  we 
found  Holmes  and  Tubbs  in  the  highway,  too ;  the  other 
two  worthies  who  had  been  mounted  en  croupe  having  dis 
possessed  them  of  their  wagon  also,  and  told  them  to 
"charge  it  to  Injin."  We  afterwards  learned  that  this 
practice  was  very  general ;  the  owner  recovering  his  horse 
and  team,  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  by  hearing  it  had 
been  left,  secretly,  at  some  tavern  within  a  few  miles  of  his 
residence.  As  for  old  Holmes,  he  was  in  an  honest  indig 
nation  when  we  came  up  with  him,  while  even  Tubbs 
looked  soured  and  discontented,  or  as  if  he  thought  friends 
were  entitled  to  better  treatment. 

"  Vhat  ist  der  matter  ?"  cried  out  uncle  Ro,  who  could 
hardly  keep  from  laughing  the  whole  time;  "  vhat  ist  der 
matter  now  ?  Vhere  might  be  your  hantsome  vaggin  and 
your  gay  horse  ?" 

"It's  too  bad  !  — yes,  it's  eeny  most  too  bad  !"  grunted 
Holmes.  "  Here  am  I,  past  three-score-and-ten,  which  is 
the  full  time  of  man,  the  bible  says  —  and  what  the  bible 
says  must  be  true,  you  know ! — here  have  they  trundled  me 
into  the  highway,  as  they  would  a  sack  of  potatoes,  and 
loft  me  to  walk  every  step  of  four  miles  to  reach  my  own 
door  !  It 's  too  bad  —  it 's  eeny  most  too  bad  !" 
23 


THE     REDftJtf  If  ff. 

"Oh'  dal  might  I/.-  a  trifle,  COtTlpafC^  to  vhat  it  vouM 
b'-  to  haf  peen  druridelled  out  of  your  farm." 

"  I   know  'tj — I  know  't ! — I  understand  ! — i  ''s  all  n 
for  the  good  cause — to  put  down  aristocracy, 
ni'-n  riUny  emial,  as  the  ];»w  intends  them  to  be — but  this, 
I  say,  in  rjeny  rno-.t  too  bad  !" 

''•  1,'nd  you  -.o  oil  !" 

'•venty-.'.ix,  if  I  'rn  a  day.    My  time  can't  lx:  long,  and 
rny   !' •  a k,  they    be.      Ye-i,  the  bible  »ay»  a   nvuj'.s 

.  lirniUrfJ  prr.-tty  mu':h  to  thrf;r>BCore-and-tcn — and  I  'II 
never  stand  out.  .'iVm  the  bible." 

"  Und  vh;it  rni;dit  d<-r  piplc  «ay  apont  ranting  to  haf 
your  r.  .'  jjoots  ?" 

"  It  cries  tb;it  down  flr^adfully  !  Yes,  there '«  plenty  of 
th;jf.  in  the  j,'ood  IxxA,  I  know  from  bavin'  heard  it  read  — 
ny,  n/jd  havin'  rrad  it  rny-,e)f,  t.hete  three-fcore  years;  h 
doo*  cry  it  down,  the  most  awfully.  J  -.hall  teH  the  Jnjirm 
thin,  the-  next  time  they  want  rny  wagon.  There's  bible 

ag'in  nil  sieh  practicef, 

\)<     •  ><>\.  pook." 

"That  it  is — that  it.  i--. — and  r/reat  is  the  consolation  and 
ho;,»-  that  J  have  l.nown  drawn  from  its  pages.  I'm  glad  to 
find  that  they  set  store  by  the  bible-  in  Jar  man  v.  /  was 
;  .  r/ji/rhof  the  notion,  we  had  most  of  t?/  .  that.'* 

goi/r,  in  Arneriky,  arifJ  it's   pleasant  to  find   there-  ix  some 
in  Jar  many." 

All  old    Holmes  was   puffin,"  a  foot,  rny 

Mri''l<-  Ro  waikiri'.'  hi.  hor   '.-,  in  ord'-r  to  enjoy  hi- 

"  Oh  !  j;i — j,i,  ja — d«:re  rni^ht  be  xomr,  religion  left  in  <\<-r 
oil  worlt — de  puritans,  as  you  might  call  dern,  <\\>\  not  pring 
it  all  away." 

"  I)'  r/ood   people  them  !      We  </ot  all  our  b'- '  -nr- 

curn>;t;nj' '  .  from  our  puritan  forefathers.     .Some  folk 
that,  all  Arn'-iiky  fi  owing  to  thern  very  saints!" 

".fa  —  urifj  if  it  been   not   «.o,  nefer  mind;   for  dey  will  bo 
ftifl  to  get  all  Arneriky." 

Holmes   was   mystified,  but   he   k'-pt   tu'/'/in;/  on,  Cfl 
wi  t'ul    glanccfl  at  our  wa-.'on,  a  .    lie   endf-;jvour':d    to 
Up  with  it.      Fearful   we   rnivht   trot,   on    and    U-ave   him,  tho 
old   man   rontinu'-d   thr;   <  "our 

authority  for  everything  must  corne  from  th'-  bible,  a'Ujr  all. 


Til  r:     REDSKINS 


ft  tell*  us  wo  hadn't  ou^hf  fo  hear  malice,  and  that'*  a  rulo 
I  endivour  to  act  up  to;  for  an  ol'l  man,  you  •.'•<•.  c.jn'f. 
in-lulge  his  sinful  nafur'  if  h<:  would.  Now,  I've  ;- 
to  Little  Xeerft  Io  al.lend  a  Jjov/n  K':,V  Meclill',  -  but  I  bear 
no  more  malice  a?'/m  ll-jr/h  f,it?i<-;/a;"-,  riot  I,  no  more  than 
if  h':  wern't  a  hit  of  my  landlord  !  All  I  w;inl  of  him  in  rny 
fijrrn,  on  -,U';h  ;j  '.;in  liv:  hy,  ;m'l  th';  h'y«  u'U?r  mo. 

I  lo<^k  on  it  UH  droufJful  hor'1  ?m'J  op[>ro,s«ivo  I.  hot.  t.h<:  hit.tl'> 
pAgQI  iboul'i  n:F'j  /;  fo  I';'.  UH  hav«  tho  [>lar:rj,  wx;in'  that  I 
liav;  v/ork':'i  it.  now  for  lh';  tarrn  of  t.hrf:';  whull  liv<?«." 

"  L'n'J   'Joy  agreet  flat  (Joy  might  soil  you  d<:  farm,  whon 
dorn  fJrrjo  lifef  wast  u 

"  \o,  not  in  downright  language  thoy  didn't,  aw  I  rnuwt 

allow.      In   th<;  w?jy  of  bargain,  I  mu»t  own   th':  afivantagfj 

Ofl    tho    ?.id«:  of   Littlopa^o.      That    wa*    HIM 

:  if  you  wjn't.  drivo  quito  Hf>  fairt,  a»  I'm 

g';ttin^  a  litll*;  out  of  wind,  I'll   t.<:ll   you  all  afx>ut  it. 

i«  just  what  wo  complain  on  ;  th';  bargain  bdrig  *o  mucb  in 

'•/our.     Now,    my   lives    /u/ttf    hung    ' 

haven't    f.K  >;.;ikuk?"    ap^'iling    to  Tuhbn.      "  It'n 

r;vory  hour  of  forty-five  years  win'  f  tuck  that  lease,  and  one 

life,  that  of  rny  old  still   in   hein',  a«  they  call  it, 

•h   it'x  a  Kort  of  hein'  that  a   body  mi;'hf   a»   well  not 

h  •;•/«:    ',   .    ;.-.  .'-.        .  .-.<.   r-?,  n'j       UUMJ    •'    I    ''';  •(     ••'•,.   '     |oD7'   f,  find 

then  that  ft  f  set  SO  nr»'r  rf  of  whieh  I've 

made   my  livelihood   rriont  of  rny   life,  and   on   wbieb   I've 
brought  up  fourteen  children,  will  go  out  of  my  hand**  to 
enrich   Hugh   LiUlcpar'e,  who%  j/ot  xo  much   now  he  Oftf/l 
:   it.  at  hum   like  h',-  ;  hut  must  L'o  ah  road,  to 

waste  it  in  riotou*  living,  a«  they  t/jll  UM.     Yew,  on  Jr.- 

••'nd  the  legislature  helps  rne  out  of  rr.y  difFir-  1        : 
don't  '-.ee   hut.   Hugh   JJltlepage  must  get  it  all,  n. 
'  rich  richer,  and  trie  poor  poorer/  " 

"  (,'nd   vhy   D  me  to  pas»t      Vfiy 

own  in  Aweriky?" 

««  That'h  je-,t  it,  v  -.'t  rny  owr  only 

by  natur',  like,  and  the  'aperet  of  the  i 
call  it.     i'rn  MW  I  don't  kear  much  ho//  I  •,>•       ,  -.o  it  only 
come*..    If  the  governor  can  only  make  the  landlord*  *^ll, 
or  even  give  away,  he  may  *;irtainly  count  on  rny  «upf>orf, 


J2G8  THE     REDSKINS. 

providin'  they  don't  put  the  prices  too  high.     I  hate  high 
prices,  which  is  onsuitable  to  a  free  country." 

"  Fery  drue.  I  sooppose  your  lease  might  gif  you 
dat  farm  quite  reasonaple,  as  it  might  be  mate  so  long 
ago?" 

"  Only  two  shillings  the  acre,"  answered  the  old  fellow, 
with  a  knowing  look,  which  as  .much  as  boasted  of  the 
capital  bargain  he  had  in  the  affair,  "or  twenty-five  dollars 
a  year  for  a  hundred  acres.  That's  no  great  matter,  I'm 
ready  to  allow ;  but  my  lives  havin'  held  on  so  desp'rately, 
until  land's  got  up  to  forty  dollars  an  acre  about  here,  I 
can't  no  more  expect  sich  another  lay  than  I  can  expect  to 
go  to  Congress.  I  can  rent  that  place,  to-morrow  mornin', 
for  81 50.  of  as  good  money  as  any  man  can  pay.'-' 

"  Und  how  much  might  you  expect  'squire  Littlebage 
woult  ask  on  a  new  lease  ?" 

"  Some  think  as  much  as  $62.50 ;  though  other  some 
think  he  would  let  it  go  to  me  for  850,  for  three  lives  longer. 
The  old  gin'ral  told  me  when  he  signed  the  lease  that  I  was 
gettin'  a  bargain,  '  but,  niver  mind,'  said  he,  '  if  I  give  you 
good  tarms,  '  you'll  make  the  better  tenant,  and  1  look  to 
posterity  and  their  benefit  as  much  as  I  dp  to  my  own.  If 
I  don't  get  the  advantage  I  might,'  says  he,  '  my  children, 
or  my  children's  children,  will.  A  man  mustn't  altogether 
live  for  himself  in  this  world,  especially  if  he  has  children.' 
Them  was  good  idees,  wasn't  they  ?" 

"  You  might  not  dink  differently.  Und,  how  moch  woulr 
you  love  to  bay  for  a  deet  of  de  farm  ?" 

"  Wa-a-1,  there's  differences  of  opinion  on  that  subject. 
The  most  approved  notion  is,  that  Hugh  Littlepage  ought  to 
be  made  to  give  warrantees,  with  full. covenants,  as  it 's  call 
ed.;  and  covenants  is  all  in  all,  in  a  deed,  you  know " 

"But  might  not  be  in  a  lease?"  put  in  uncle  Ro,  some 
what  drily. 

"  That  depinds — But,  some  say  them  deeds  ought  to  be 
given,  if  the  tenants  allow  the  landlords  the  worth  of  the 
land,  when  the  patentee  got  it,  and  interest  down  to  the  pre 
sent  day.  It  does  seem  a  desp'rate  price  to  pay  for  land,  to 
give  principal  and  interest,  and  to  throw  in  all  that  has  been, 
paid  hesido?" 


THE     REDSKINS.  209 

"  Haf  you  made  a  calculation,  to  see  vhat  it  might  come 
to?" 

"  Shabbakuk  has — tell  the  gentleman,  Shabbakuk,  how 
much  you  made  it  come  to,  the  acre." 

Shabbakuk  was  a  far  deeper  rogue  than  his  neighbour 
Holmes.  The  last  was  merely  a  man  of  selfish  and  narrow 
views,  who,  from  passing  a  long  life  with  no  other  object 
before  him  than  that  of  scraping  together  property,  had  got 
his  mind  completely  ensnared  in  the  meshes  of  this  world's 
net;  whereas,  his  companion  took  the  initiative,  as  the 
French  have  it,  in  knavery,  and  not  only  carried  out,  but 
invented  the  schemes  of  the  wicked.  He  clearly  did  not 
like  this  appeal  to  his  arithmetic,  but  having  no  suspicion  to 
whom  he  was  talking,  and  fancying  every  man  in  the  lower 
conditions  of  life  must  be  an  ally  in  a  plan  to  make  the  "  rich, 
poorer ;  and  the  poor,  richer ;"  he  was  a  little  more  commu- 
nicative  than  might  otherwise  have  been  the  case.  After 
reflecting  a  moment,  he  gave  us  his  answer,  reading  from  a 
paper  in  his  hand,  on  which  the  whole  sum  had  been  elabo 
rately  worked  for  the  occasion  of  the  late  meeting. 

"  The  land  was  worth  ten  cents  an  acre,  maybe,  when 
the  first  Littlepage  got  it,  and  that  is  a  liberal  price.  Now, 
that  was  eighty  years  since,  for  we  don't  count  old  Herman 
Mordaunt's  time,  as  anything ;  seeing  that  the  land  was 
worth  next  to  nothin',  in  his  time.  The  interest  on  ten  cents 
at  7  per  cent,  is  7  mills  a  year,  or  560  mills  for  80  years. 
This  is  without  compound ;  compound  being  unlawful,  and 
nothin'  ag'in  law  should  be  taken  into  the  account.  Add 
the  10  cents  to  the  560  mills,  and  you  get  660  mills,  or 
66  cents.  Now  this  sum,  or  a  sum  calculated  on  the  same 
principles,  all  the  tenants  are  willing  to  pay  for  their  farms,* 
and  if  justice  prevails  they  will  get  them." 

"  Dat  seems  but  little  to  bay  for  landt  dat  might  now  rent 
for  a  dollar  an  acre,  each  year." 

"  You  forgit  that  the  Littlepages  have  had  the  rent  these 
eighty  years,  the  whuil  time." 


*  In  orjer  that  the  reader  may  understand  Mr.  Hugh  Littlepage  is 
not  inventing,  I  will  add  that  propositions  still  more  extravagant  than 
these  have  been  openly  circulated  among  the  anti-renters,  up  and  doWt 
Ihe  country. — EPITOH. 

23* 


270  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Und  de  denants  haf  hat  de  farms  dese  eighty  years,  d<3 
whole  time,  too." 

"  Oh  !  we  put  the  land  ag'in  the  work.  If  my  neighbour 
Holmes,  here,  has  had  his  farm  forty-five  years,  so  the  farm 
has  had  his  work  forty-five  years,  as  an  off-set.  You  may 
depind  on  't  the  governor  and  the  legislature  understand  all 
that." 

"  If  dey  does,"  answered  Uncle  Ro,  whipping  his  horse 
into  a  trot,  "  dey  must  be  fit  for  deir  high  stations.  It  is 
goot  for  a  country  to  haf  great  governors,  and  great  legis- 
ladurs.  Guten  Tag" 

Away  he  went,  leaving  neighbour  Holmes,  Shabbakuk 
Tubbs,  the  governor  and  legislature,  with  their  joint  morals, 
wisdom,  logic  and  philosophy,  in  the  highway,  together. 
My  uncle  Ro  shook  his  head,  and  then  he  laughed,  as  the 
absurdity  of  what  had  just  passed  forced  itself  on  his  imagi 
nation. 

I  dare  say  many  may  be  found,  who  have  openly  pro 
fessed  principles  and  opinions  identical,  in  substance,  with 
what  has  just  been  related  here,  who  will  be  disposed  to 
deny  them,  when  they  are  thrown  into  their  faces.  There 
is  nothing  unusual  in  men's  refusing  to.  recognise  their  own 
children,  when  they  are  ashamed  of  the  circumstances  tha 
brought  them  into  being.  But,  in  the  course  of  this  contro 
versy,  I  have  often  heard  arguments  in  discourse,  and  have 
often  read  them  in  the  journals,  as  they  have  been  put  into 
the  mouths  of  men  in  authority,  and  that  too  in  their  public 
communications,  which,  stripped  of  their  very  thin  coverings, 
are  pretty  much  on  the  level  with  those  of  Holmes  and  Tubbs. 
I  am  aware  that  no  governor  has,  as  yet,  alluded  to  the  hard 
ships  of  the  tenants,  under  the  limited  leases,  but  it  would 
be  idle  to  deny  that  the  door  has  been  opened  to  principles, 
or,  a  want  of  principles,  that  must  sweep  away  all  such 
property  in  the  current  of  reckless  popular  clamour,  unless 
the  evil  be  soon  arrested.  I  say  evil,  for  it  must  prove  a 
curse  to  any  community  to  break  down  the  securities  of 
property,  as  it  is  held  in  what  has  hitherto  been  thought  its 
most  secure  form,  and,  what  is  still  of  more  importance  in  a 
moral  point  of  view,  all  to  appease  the  cravings  of  cupidity, 
as  they  are  exhibited  in  the  masses. 

Wo  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  Holmes  and  Tubbs,  and  in 


THE     REDSKINS. 

the  woods.  I  confess  that  I  expected,  each  instant,  to  over= 
Sake  Hall  in  the  hands  of  the  Injins ;  for  the  movement 
among  that  class  of  persons  had  appeared  to  me  as  one  di 
rected  particularly  against  him.  We  saw  nothing  of  the 
.sort,  however,  and  had  nearly  reached  the  northern  limits 
of  the  bit  of  forest,  when  we  came  in  sight  of  the  two 
wagons  which  had  been  so  cavalierly  taken  possession  of, 
and  of  the  two  horses  ridden  by  the  mounted  mea.  The 
•whole  were  drawn  up  on  one  side  of  the  highway,  under  the 
charge  of  a  single  Injin,  in  a  manner  to  announce  that  we 
•were  approaching  a  point  of  some  interest. 

My  uncle  and  myself  fully  expected  to  be  again  stopped, 
as  we  drov£  up  to  the  place  just  mentioned ;  not  only  was 
he  track  of  the  road  left  clear,  however,  but  we  were  suf 
fered  to  pass  without  a  question.  All  the  horses  had  been 
in  a  lather,  as  if  driven  very  hard ;  though,  otherwise,  there 
•was  nothing  to  indicate  trouble,  if  we  except  the  presence 
of  the  solitary  sentinel.  From  this  fellow,  neither  sign,  nor 
order  molested  us;  but  on  we  went,  at  Tom  Miller's  horse  s 
favourite  amble,  until  we  were  so  near  the  verge  of  the 
wood,  as  to  get  a  view  into  the  open  fields  beyond.  Here, 
indeed,  we  obtained  a  sight  of  certain  movements  that,  I 
confess,  gave  me  some  little  concern.. 

Among  the  bushes  that  lined  the  highway,  and  which 
have  been  already  mentioned,  I  got  a  glimpse  of  several  of 
the  "  disguised  and  armed,"  who  were  evidently  lying  in 
.ambush.  Their  number  might  ha-ve  been  twenty  in  all , 
and,  it  was  now  sufficiently  apparent,  that  those  who  had 
pressed  the  wagons  had  been  hurrying  forward  to  re-enforce 
their  party.  At  this  point,  I  felt  quite  certain  we  should 
oe  stopped ;  but  we  were  not.  We  were  suffered  to  pass 
without  question,  as  we  had  just  passed  the  wagons  and 
horses,  though  it  must  have  been  known  to  the  party  that 
we  were  fully  aware  of  their  presence  at  .that  particular- 
spot.  But,  on  we  went,  and  were  soon,  unmolested,  in  the 
open  country. 

It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the  mystery  was  ex 
plained.  A  road  descended  from  the  higher  ground,  which 
lay  to  the  westward  of.  us.  a  little  on  our  left,  and  a  party 
of  men  was  coming  down  it,  at  a  quick  walk,  which,  at 
the  first  glance,  I  mistook  for  a  detachment  of  the  Injins ; 


272  THE     REDSKINS. 

i;ut  which,  at  a  second  look,  I  ascertained  to  be  composed 
uf  Indians,  or  real  red  men.  The  difference  between  the 
t\vo  is  very  great,  as  every  American  wiH  at  once  admit, 
ihough  many  who  read  this  manuscript  will  be  obliged  to 
rnc  lor  an  explanation.  There  is  "Indian"  and  "Injin." 
The  Injin  is  a  white  man,  who,  bent  on  an  unworthy  and 
illegal  purpose,  is  obliged  to  hide  his  face,  and  to  perform 
his  task  in  disguise.  The  Indian  is  a  red  man,  who  is  nei- 
ilier  afraid,  nor  ashamed,  to  show  his  countenance,  equally 
to  friend  or  enemy.  The  first  is  the  agent  of  designing 
(iernagogues,  the  hireling  of  a  discontented  and  grasping 
-pint,  who  mocks  at  truth  and  right  by  calling  himself  one 
who  labours  to  carry  out  "the  spirit  of  those  Institutions" 
*' hich  he  dishonours  and  is  afraid  to  trust ;  while  the  other 

erves  himself  only,  and  is  afraid  of  nothing.  One  is  skulk 
ing  from,  and  shirking  the  duties  of  civilization,  while  the 
vher,  though  a  savage,  is,  at  least,  true  to  his  own  profes 
sions. 

There  they  were,  sure  enough,  a  party  of  some  sixteen 
or  eighteen  of  the  real  aborigines.  It  is  not  an  uncommon 

hing  to  meet  with  an  Indian,  or  two,  strolling  about  the 

Country  selling  baskets  —  formerly  it  was  brooms  of  birch, 
",ut  the  march  of  improvement  has  nearly  banished  so  rude 
.1  manufacture  from  the  country — with  a  squaw,  or  two,  in 

ompany ;  but  it  is  now  very  unusual  to  meet  a  true  Indian 
irrior  in  the  heart  of  the  State,  carrying  his  rifle  and 
tomahawk,  as  was  the  case  with  all  those  who  were  so 
swiftly  descending  the  road.  My  uncle  Ro  was  quite  as 
much  astonished  as  I  was  myself;  and  he  pulled  up  at  the 
junction  of  the  two  highways,  in  order  to  await  the  arrival 
of  the  strangers. 

"  These  are  real  Redskins,  Hugh — and  of  a  noble  tribe," 
cried  my  uncle,  as  a  still  nearer  approach  gave  him  a  better 
and  better  view.  "  Warriors  of  the  West,  out  of  all  question, 
with  one  white  man  in  attendance — what  can  such  a  party 
possibly  want  at  Ravensnest !" 

"  Perhaps  the  anti-renters  intend  to  enlarge  their  plans, 
and  have  a  scheme  to  come  out  upon  us,  with  an  alliance 
formed  with  the  true  sons  of  the  forest- — may  they  not  intend 
intimidation?" 

"  Whom  could  they  thus  intimidate,  but  their  own  wives 


THE     REDSKINS.  27S 

and  children?     But,  here  they  come,  in  a  noble  body,  and 
we  can  speak  to  them.7' 

There  they  did  come,  indeed ;  seventeen  of  the  finer  spe 
cimens  of  the  Redskins,  as  they  are  now  sometimes  seen  pass- 
ing  among  us  in  bodies,  moving  to  or  from  their  distant 
prairies ;  for  the  white  man  has  already  forced  the  Indian, 
with  the  bears,  and  the  elk,  and  the  moose,  out  of  the  forests 
of  America,  upon  those  vast  plains. 

What  is  to  be  the  end  of  the  increase  of  this  nation,  is  one 
of  the  mysteries  of  Divine  Providence.  If  faithful  to  the 
right,  if  just,  not  in  the  sense  of  yielding  to  the  clamours  of 
the  many,  but  in  the  sense  of  good  laws,  if  true  to  them 
selves,  the  people  of  this  republic  may  laugh  at  European 
interference  and  European  power,  when  brought  to  bear  on 
their  home  interests,  as  so  much  of  the  lumbering  policy  of 
ages  no  longer  suited  to  the  facts  and  feelings  of  our  own 
times,  and  push  on  to  the  fulfilment  of  a  destiny,  which,  if 
carried  out  on  the  apparent  designs  of  the  ruler  of  the  earth, 
will  leave  that  of  all  other  States  which  have  preceded  us, 
as  much  in  the  shade,  as  the  mountain  leaves  the  valley.  But, 
it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  brightest  dawns  often  usher 
in  the  darkest  days  ;  that  the  most  brilliant  youths  frequently 
precede  manhoods  of  disappointment  and  baffled  wishes ; 
that  even  the  professed  man  of  God  can  fall  away  from  his 
vows  and  his  faith,  and  finish  a  career  that  was  commenced 
in  virtue  and  hope,  in  profligacy  and  sin.  Nations  are  no 
more  safe  from  the  influence  of  temptation  than  individuals, 
and  this  has  a  weakness  peculiarly  its  own.  Instead  of  fall 
ing  back  on  its  popular  principle,  in  extremities,  as  its  infal 
lible  safeguard,  it  is  precisely  in  the  irresponsible  and  grasp 
ing  character  of  that  principle  that  its  danger  is  to  be  appre 
hended.  That  principle,  which,  kept  within  the  limits  of 
right,  is  so  admirably  adapted  to  restraining  the  ordinary 
workings  of  cupidity  and  selfishness,  as  they  are  familiarly 
seen  in  narrow  governments,  when  permitted  to  overrun  the 
boundaries  placed  for  its  control,  becomes  a  torrent  that  has 
broken  out  of  its  icy  bed,  in  the  Spring,  and  completely  de 
faces  all  that  is  beneficial  or  lovely,  in  either  nature  or  art, 
that  may  happen  to  lie  in  its  course.  As  yet,  the  experi 
ence  of  two  centuries  has  offered  nothing  so  menacing  to 
the  future  prosperity  of  this  country,  as  the  social  fermenta- 


274  THE     REDSKINS. 

tion  which  is  at  this  moment  at  work,  in  the  State  of  New 
York.  On  the  result  of  this  depends  the  solution  of  the  all- 
important  question,  whether  principles  are  to  rule  this  repub 
lic,  or  men  ;  and  these  last,  too,  viewed  in  their  most  vulgar 
and  repulsive  qualities,  or  as  the  mere  creatures  of  self,  in- 
tead  of  being  the  guardians  and  agents  of  that  which  ought 
to  be.  It  is  owing  to  this  state  of  things,  that  we  have  al 
ready  seen  a  legislature  occupied  with  discussing  the  modes 
of  evading  the  provisions  of  its  own  laws,  and  men  who 
ought  to  stand  before  the  world,  stern  and  uncompromising 
in  their  public  morals,  manifesting  a  most  pernicious  inge 
nuity  in  endeavouring  to  master  and  overreach  each  other 
in  wiHding  the  arts  of  the  demagogue. 

As  the  Indians  entered  the  north  and  south  road,  or  that 
in  which  we  had  stopped,  the  whole  party  came  to  a  halt, 
with  characteristic  courtesy,  as  if  to  meet  our  wish  to  speak 
to  them.  The  foremost  of  the  band,  who  was  also  the  oldest, 
being  a  man  of  sixty,  if  not  older,  nodded  his  head,  and  ut 
tered  the  usual  conventional  salutation  of"  Sago,  sago." 

"  Sago,"  said  my  uncle,  and  "  Sago"  put  in  I. 

"  How  do  ?"  continued  the  Indian,  who  we  now  discovered 
spoke  English.  "  What  call  this  country  ?" 

"  This  is  Ravensnest.  The  village  of  Little  Nest  is  about 
a  mile  and  a  half  on  the  other  side  of  that  wood." 

The  Indian  now  turned,  and  in  his  deep  guttural  tones 
communicated  this  intelligence  to  his  fellows.  The  informa 
tion  obviously  was  well  received,  which  was  as  much  as 
saying  that  they  had  reached  the  end  of  their  journey.  Some 
conversation  next  succeeded,  delivered  in  brief,  sententious 
remarks,  when  the  old  chief  again  turned  to  us.  I  call  him 
chief,  though  it  was  evident  that  the  whole  party  was  com 
posed  of  chiefs.  This  was  apparent  by  their  medals,  their 
fine  appearance  generally,  and  by  their  quiet,  dignified,  not 
to  say  lofty,  bearing.  Each  of  them  was  in  a  light  summer 
attire,  wearing  the  moccasin  and  leggings,  &c.  ;  the  calico 
shirt,  or  a  thin  blanket,  that  was  cast  around  the  upper  part 
of  the  person,  much  as  the  Roman  may  be  supposed  to  have 
worn  his  toga ;  all  carrying  the  rifle,  the  bright,  well-scoured 
tomahawk,  and  the  sheathed  knife.  Each,  too,  had  his  horn 
and  his  bullet-pouch,  and  some  of  the  more  youthful  were  a 
little  elaborate  in  their  ornaments,  in  the  way  of  feathers, 


THE     REDSKINS.  275 

and  such  presents  as  they  had  received  on  their  long  jour 
ney.     Not  one  of  them  all,  however,  was  painted. 

"  This  Raven-nest,  eh  1"  continued  the  old  chief,  speaking 
directly,  hut  with  sufficient  courtesy. 

"  As  I  have  said.  The  village  lies  on  the  other  side  of 
that  wood ;  the  house  from  which  the  name  is  taken  is  a 
mile  and  a  half  in  the  other  direction." 

This,  too,  was  translated,  and  a  low,  but  general  expres 
sion  of  pleasure  was  given. 

"  Any  Injins  'bout  here,  eh  ?"  demanded  the  chief,  looking 
so  earnestly  at  the  same  time  as  to  surprise  us  both. 

"  Yes,"  answered  my  uncle.  "  There  are  Injins — a  party 
is  in  the  edge  of  the  wood,  there,  within  thirty  rods  of  you 
at  this  moment-." 

With  great  rapidity  this  fact  was  communicated  to  the 
eager  listeners,  and  there  was  a  sensation  in  the  party  , 
though  it  was  a  sensation  betrayed  as  such  feelings  are  only 
betrayed  among  the  aborigines  of  this  part  of  the  world  ; 
quietly,  reservedly,  and  with  a  coldness  amounting  nearly 
«Q  indifference.  We  were  amused,  however,  at  noting  how 
much  more  interest  this  news  awakened  than  would  proba 
bly  have  been  excited  had  these  red-men  been  told  a  town 
!ike  London  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  wood.  As  chil 
dren  are  known  to  feel  most  interest  in  children,  so  did  these 
children  of  the  forest  seem  to  be  most  alive  to  an  interest  in 
these  unexpected  neighbours,  brethren  of  the  same  habits 
and  race,  as  they  unquestionably  imagined.  After  some 
earnest  discourse  among  themselves,  the  old  chief,  whose 
name  turned  out  to  be  Prairiefire,  once  more  addressed 
himself  to  us. 

"  What  tribe,  eh  ?     Know  tribe  ?" 

"  They  are  called  Anti-rent  Injins — a  new  tribe  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  and  are  not  much  esteemed." 

"  Bad  Injin,  eh  ?" 

"  I  am  afraid  so.  They  are  not  honest  enough  to  go  in 
paint,  but  wear  shirts  over  their  faces."" 

Another  long  and  wondering  conference  succeeded.  It 
is  to  be  supposed  that  such  a  tribe  as  that  of  the  Anti-renters 
was  hitherto  unknown  among  the  American  savages.  The 
first  intelligence  of  the  existence  of  such  a  .people  would 
naturally  awaken  great  interest,  and  we  were  soon  requested 


XI  &  THE     REDSKINS. 

lo  show  them  the  way  to  the  spot  where  this  unheard  of 
iribe  might  be  found.  This  was  going  somewhat  furthei 
than  my  uncle  had  anticipated,  hut  he  was  not  a  man  to  beat 
a  retreat  when  he  had  once  undertaken  an  enterprise.  After 
a  short  deliberation  with  himself,  he  signified  his  assent ; 
and  alighting  from  our  wagon,  we  fastened  Tom  Miller's 
horse  to  a  stake  of  one  of  the  fences,  and  set  off,  on  foot,  as 
guides  to  our  new  brethren,  in  seeking  the  great  tribe  of  the 
Anti-renters !  We  had  not  gone  half  the  distance  to  the 
woods  before  we  met  Holmes  and  Tubbs,  who,  getting  a 
cast  in  another  wagon,  until  they  reached  the  place  where 
.heir  own  vehicle  was  stationed,  had  recovered  that,  and 
were  now  on  their  way  home,  apprehensive  that  some  new 
freak  of  their  great  allies  might  throw  them  out  into  the 
highway  again.  This  wagon,  our  own  excepted,  was  the 
only  one  that  had  yet  emerged  from  the  wood,  the  owners 
of  some  twenty  others  preferring  to  remain  in  the  back 
ground  until  the  development  of  the  meeting  between  the 
tribes  should  occur. 

"  What,  in  natur',  does  all  this  mean  ?"  exclaimed  old 
Holmes,  as  we  approached  him,  reining  in  his  horse,  for  the 
purposes  of  a  conference.  "  Is  the  governor  sending  out 
ra-al  Injins  ag'in'  us,  in  order  to  favour  the  landlords  ?" 

This  was  taking  a  harsh  and  most  uncharitable  view  of 
the  course  of  the  governor,  for  an  anti-renter ;  but  that  func 
tionary  having  made  the  capital  blunder  of  serving,  altoge 
ther,  neither  "  God  nor  Mammon"  in  this  great  question, 
must  expect  to  take  it  right  and  left,  as  neither  God  nor 
Mammon  will  be  very  likely  to  approve'  of  his  course. 

"  Veil,  I  don't  know,"  was  my  uncle's  answer.  "  Dese 
ist  ra-al  red-men,  und  dem  younder  ist  ra-al  Injins,  dat  's 
all.  Vhat  might  bring  dese  warriors  here,  joost  now,  you 
must  ask  of  demselves,  if  you  wants  to  1'arn." 

"  There  can  be  no  harm  in  asking ;  I  'm  no  way  skeary 
about  redskins,  having  seen  'em  often,  and  my  father  fit  'em 
in  his  day,  as  I've  heern  him  tell.  Sago,  Sago." 

"  Sago,"  answered  Prairiefire,  with  his  customary  cour 
tesy. 

"Where,  in  natur',  do  you  red-men  all  come  frotn,  and 
where  can  ye  be  goin'  ?" 

It  was  apparent  that  Holmes  belonged  to  a  school  that 


THE     REDSKINS.  277 

never  hesitated  about  putting  any  question ;  and  that  would 
have  an  answer,  if  an  answer  was  to  be  got.  The  old  chief 
had  probably  met  with  such  pale-faces  before,  the  untrained 
American  being  certainly  among  the  most  diligent  of  all  the 
human  beings  of  that  class.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
red-man  regards  the  indulgence  of  a  too  eager  curiosity  as 
womanish,  and  unworthy  of  the  self-command  and  dignity 
of  a  warrior.  The  betraying  of  surprise,  and  the  indulgence 
ef  a  curiosity  fit  only  for  squaws,  were  two  things  that  Prai- 
riefire  had  doubtless  been  early  told  were  unworthy  of  his 
sex ;  for  to  some  such  in-and-in  breeding  alone  could  be 
referred  the  explanation  of  the  circumstance  that  neither 
Holmes'  manner,  address,  nor  language,  caused  in  him  the 
least  expression  of  emotion.  He  answered  the  questions, 
however,  and  that  with  a  coldness  that  seemed  of  proof. 

"  Come  from  setting  sun  —  been  to  see  Great  Father,  at 
Washington  —  go  home,"  was  the  sententious  reply. 

"  But,  how  come  ye  to  pass  by  Ravensnest  1 — I  'm  afeared 
the  governor,  and  them  chaps  at  Albany,  must  have  a  hand 
in  this,  Shabbakuck?" 

What  Shabbakuck  thought  of  the  "  governor,  and  them 
chaps  at  Albany"  is  not  known,  as  he  did  not  see  fit  to 
make  any  reply.  His  ordinary  propensity  to  meddle  was 
probably  awed  by  the  appearance  of  these  real  Redskins. 

"  I  say,  why  do  ye  come  this-a-way  ?"  Holmes  continued, 
repeating  his  question.  "  If  you  've  been  to  Washington, 
and  found  him  to  hum  (Anglice,  '  at  home'),  why  didn't  ye 
go  back  by  the  way  ye  come  ?" 

"  Come  here  to  find  Injin  ;  got  no  Injin  here,  eh?" 

''  Injin  ?  why,  of  one  sort  we  've  got  more  of  the  critturs 
fnan  a  body  can  very  well  git  along  with.  Of  what  colour 
be  the  Injins  you  want  to  find?  —  Be  they  of  the  pale-face 
natur',  or  be  they  red  like  yourselves  ?" 

"  Want  to  find  red-man.  He  ole,  now  ;  like  top  of  dead 
hemlock,  wind  blow  t'rough  his  branches  till  leaf  all  fall 
off." 

"  By  George,  Hugh,"  whispered  my  uncle,  "  these  red 
skins  are  in  search  of  old  Susquesus  !"  Then  entirely  for 
getting  the  necessity  of  maintaining  his  broken  English  in 
the  presence  of  his  two  Ravensnest  listeners,  Shabbakuck 
Tubbs,  in  particular,  he  turned,  somewhat  inconsiderately 
24 


278  THE     REDSKINS. 

for  one  of  his  years,  -to  the  Prairiefire,  and  hastily  r& 
marked — 

"  I  can  help  you  in  your  search.  You  are  looking  for  a 
warrior  of  the  Onondagoes ;  one  who  left  his  tribe  a  hun 
dred  summers  ago,  a  red-man  of  great  renown  for  finding 
his  path  in  the  forest,  and  who  would  never  taste  fire-water 
His  name  is  Susquesus." 

Until  this  moment,  the  only  white  man  who  was  in  com 
pany  with  this  strange  party  —  strange  at  least  in  our  por 
tion  of  the  State  of  New  York,  though  common  enough, 
perhaps,  on  the  great  thoroughfares  of  the  country — broke 
silence.  This  man  was  an  ordinary  interpreter,  who  had 
been  sent  with  the  party  in  case  of  necessity ;  but  being  lit 
tle  more  acquainted  with  the  ways  of  civilization  than  those 
whom  he  was  to  guide,  he  had  prudently  held  his  tongue 
until  he  saw  that  he  might  be  of  some  use.  We  afterwards 
learned  that  the  sub-agent  who  had  accompanied  the  chiefs 
to  Washington,  had  profited  by  the  wish  of  the  Indians  to 
pay  their  passing  homage  to  the  "  Withered  Hemlock,  tha; 
still  stands,"  as  they  poetically  called  Susquesus  in  thei* 
own  dialects — for  Indians  of  several  tribes  were  present — t? 
pay  a  visit  to  his  own  relatives  in  Massachusetts,  his  pre 
sence  not  being  deemed  necessary  in  such  a  purely  pious 
pilgrimage. 

"  You  're  right,"  observed  the  interpreter.  "  These  chief? 
have  not  come  to  look  up  any  tribe,  but  there  are  two  of 
the  ancient  Onondagoes  among  them,  and  their  traditions 
tell  of  a  chief,  called  Susquesus,  that  has  outlived  every 
thing  but  tradition ;  who  left  his  own  people  long,  long  ago, 
and  who  left  a  great  name  behind  him  for  vartue,  and  that 
is  a  thing  a  red-skin  never  forgets." 

"  And  all  these  warriors  have  come  fifty  miles  out  of  their 
way,  to  pay  this  homage  to  Susquesus  1" 

"  Such  has  been  their  wish,  and  I  asked  permission  of  the 
Bureau  at  Washington,  to  permit  them  to  come.  It  costs 
Uncle  Sam  $50  or  a  8100  more  than  it  otherwise  might, 
but  such  a  visit  will  do  all  the  warriois  of  the  West  a  mil 
lion  of  dollars  of  good ;  no  men  honour  right  and  justice 
more  than  redskins,  though  it 's  in  their  own  fashion." 

"  I  am  sure  Uncle  Sam  has  acted  no  more  than  right 
eously,  as  I  hope  he  always  may  act  as  respects  these  peo 


THE     REDSKINS.  279 

pie.     Susquesus  is  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  I  will  load 
you  to  him." 

"  And  who  in  natur'  be  youV  demanded  Holmes,  his  cu 
riosity  starting  off  on  a  new  track. 

"  Who  am  I?  —  You  shall  know  who  I  am,"  answered 
uncle  Ro,  removing  his  wig,  an  action  that  I  imitated  on 
the  spot, — "I  am  Roger  Littlepage,  the  late  trustee  of  this 
estate,  and  this  is  Hugh  Littlepage,  its  owner."  Old 
Holmes  was  good  pluck  in  most  matters ;  of  far  better  stuff 
at  the  bottom,  than  the  sneaking,  snivelling,  prating  dema 
gogue  at  his  side;  but  by  this  discovery  he  was  dumb 
founded  !  He  looked  at  my  uncle,  then  he  looked  at  me ; 
after  which,  he  fastened  a  distressed  and  inquiring  gaze  on 
Shabbakuck.  As  for  the  Indians,  notwithstanding  their  ha 
bitual  self-command,  a  common  "  hugh  !"  was  uttered  among 
them,  when  they  saw  two  men,  as  it  might  be,  thus  scalping 
themselves.  Uncle  Ro  was  excited,  and  his  manner  was, 
in  the  least  degree,  theatrical,  as  with  one  hand  he  removed 
his  cap,  and  with  the  other  his  wig ;  holding  the  last,  with 
an  extended  arm,  in  the  direction  of  the  Indians.  As  a  red- 
man  is  rarely  guilty  of  any  act  of  rudeness,  unless  he  mean 
to  play  the  brute  in  good  earnest,  it  is  possible  that  the 
Chippewa  towards  whom  the  hand  which  held  the  wig  was 
extended,  mistook  the  attitude  for  an  invitation  to  examine 
that  curious  article,  for  himself.  It  is  certain  he  gently 
forced  it  from  my  uncle's  grasp,  and,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  all  the  savages  were  gathered  round  it,  uttering  many 
but  low  and  guarded  expressions  of  surprise.  Those  men 
were  all  chiefs,  and  they  restrained  their  astonishment  at 
this  point.  Had  there  been  any  of  the  ignoble  vulgar  among 
them,  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  wig  would  have  passed 
from  hand  to  hand,  and  been  fitted  to  a  dozen  heads,  already 
shaved  to  receive  it. 


280  THE     REDSKINS. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

The  Gordon  is  gude  in  a  hurry, 

An'  Campbell  is  steel  to  the  bane , 
An'  Grant,  an'  Mackenzie,  an'  Murray, 

An'  Cameron  will  truckle  to  nane." 

HOGS. 

THE  interruption  of  this  scene  came  from  old  Holmes,  who 
cried  to  his  companion,  on  the  high  key  in  which  it  was 
usual  for  him  to  speak : — 

"This  is  downright  bad,  Shabbakuk — we'll  never  get 
our  leases  a'ter  this  !" 

"  Nobody  can  say" — answered  Tubbs,  giving  a  loud  hem, 
as  if  determined  to  brazen  the  matter  out.  "  Maybe  the 
gentleman  will  be  glad  to  compromise  the  matter.  It's 
ag'in  law,  I  believe,  for  any  one  to  appear  on  the  highway 
disguised— and  both  the  'Squire  Littlepages,  you'll  notice, 
neighbour  Holmes,  be  in  the  very  middle  of  the  road,  and 
both  was  disguised,  only  a  minute  ago." 

"  That's  true. — D'ye  think  anything  can  be  got  out  o' 
that  1  I  want  profitable  proceeding." 

Shabbakuk  gave  another  hem,  looked  behind  him,  as  if 
to  ascertain  what  had  become  of  the  Injins,  for  he  clearly 
did  not  fancy  the  real  *  article'  before  him,  and  then  he  an 
swered  : 

"We  may  get  our  farms,  neighbour  Holmes,  if  you'll 
agree,  as  I'm  willin'  to  do,  to  be  reasonable  about  this  mat- 
ter,  so  long  as  'Squire  Littlepage  wishes  to  hearken  to  his 
own  interests." 

My  uncle  did  not  deign  tor  make  any  answer,  but,  know, 
ing  we  had  done  nothing  to  bring  us  within  the  view  of  the 
late  statute,  he  turned  towards  the  Indians,  renewing  his 
offer  to  them  to  be  their  guide. 

"The  chiefs  want  very  much  to  know  who  you  are,  an 
how  you  two  came  by  double  scalps,"  said  the  interpreter, 
smiling  like  one  who  understood  for  his  own  part,  the  nature 
of  a  wig  very  well. 


-THE     REDSKINS.  281 

"  Tell  them  that  this  young  gentleman  is  Hugh  Little- 
page,  and  that  I  am  his  uncle.  Hugh  Littlepage  is  the 
owner  of  the  land  that  you  see  on  every  side  of  you." 

The  answer  was  communicated,  and  we  waited  for  its 
effect  on  the  Indians.  To  our  surprise,  several  of  them  soon 
gathered  around,  evidently  regarding  us  both,  with  interest 
and  respect. 

"  The  claims  of  a  landlord  seem  to  be  better  understood 
among  these  untutored  savages,  than  among  your  own 
tenants,  Hugh,"  said  my  uncle.  "But  there  goes  old 
Holmes,  the  inbred  rogue,  and  his  friend  Shabbakuk,  back 
to  the  woods  ,•  we  may  have  an  affair  on  hand  with  his 
Injins." 

"  I  think  not,  sir.  It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  there  is 
valour  enough  in  that  tribe,  to  face  this.  In  general,  the 
white  man  is  fully  a  match  for  the  redskin ;  but  it  may  be 
doubted  whether  chiefs  like  these,  would  not  prove  too  much 
for  twice  their  number  of  varlets,  of  the  breed  of  yonder 
skulking  scoundrels." 

"  Why  do  the  chiefs  manifest  so  much  interest  in  us?" 
asked  my  uncle,  of  the  interpreter.  "  Is  it  possible  that  they 
pay  so  much  respect  to  us,  on  account  of  our  connection 
with  this  estate  ?" 

"  Not  at  all — not  at  all.  They  know  the  difference  be 
tween  a  chief  and  a  common  man  well  enough,  it  is  true," 
was  the  answer ;  "  and  twenty  times,  as  we  have  come 
down  through  the  country,  have  they  expressed  their  sur 
prise  to  me,  that  so  many  common  men  should  be  chiefs, 
among  the  pale-faces;  but,  they  care  nothing  for  riches. 
He  is  the  greatest  man  among  them,  who  is  best  on  a  war 
path,  and  at  a  council-fire ;  though  they  do  honour  them 
that  has  had  great  and  useful  ancestors." 

"  But,  they  seem  to  betray  some  unusual  and  extraordi 
nary  interest  in  us,  too;  perhaps  they  are  surprised  at  see 
ing  gentlemen  in  such  dresses  ?" 

"  Lord,  sir,  what  do  men  care  for  dresses,  that  are  used 
to  see  the  heads  of  factories  and  forts,  half  the  time  dressed 
in  skins.  They  know  that  there  be  holidays  and  workin'- 
days ;  times  for  every-day  wear,  and  times  for  feathers  and 
paint.  No — no — they 'look  at  you  both,  with  so  much  in 
erest,  on  account  of  their  traditions." 
24* 


282  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  Their  traditions !  What  can  these  have  to  do  with  us? 
We  have  never  had  anything  to  do  with  Indians." 

'That's  true  of  you,  and  may  be  true  of  your  fathers; 
but  it's  not  true  of  some  of  your  ancestors.  Yesterday,  after 
we  had  got  to  our  night's  stopping-place,  two  of  the  chiefs, 
this  smallish  man  with  the  double  plate  on  his  breast,-  and 
that  elderly  warrior,  who  has  been  once  scalped,  as  you  can 
see  by  his  crown,  began  to  tell  of  some  of  the  treacheries  of 
their  own  tribe,  which  was  once  a  Canada  people.  The 
elderly  chief  related  the  adventures  of  a  war-path,  that  led 
out  of  Canada,  across  the  large  waters,  down  to  a  settle 
ment  where  they  expected  to  get  a  great  many  scalps,  but 
where  in  the  end  they  lost  more  scalps  than  they  found ; 
and  where  they  met  Susquesus,  the  upright  Onondago,  as 
they  call  him  in  that  tongue,  as  well  as  the  Yengeese  owner 
or"  the  land,  at  this  very  spot,  whom  they  called  by  a  name 
something  like  your  own,  who  was  a  warrior  of  great  cour 
age  and  skill  by  their  traditions.  They  suppose  you  to  be 
the  descendants  of  the  last,  and  honour  you  accordingly ; 
that 'sail." 

"  And,  is  it  possible  that  these  untutored  beings  have  tra 
ditions  as  reliable  as  this  ?" 

"  Lord,  if  you  could  hear  what  they  say  among  them 
selves,  about  the  lies  that  are  read  to  them  out  of  the  pale 
face  prints,  you  would  1'arn  how  much  store  they  set  by 
truth !  In  my  day,  I  have  travelled  through  a  hundred 
miles  of  wilderness,  by  a  path  that  was  no  better,  nor  any 
worse,  than  an  Indian  tradition  of  its  manner  of  running; 
and  a  tradition  that  must  have  been,  at  least,  a  hundred 
summers  old.  They  know  all  about  your  forefathers,  and 
they  know  something  about  you,  too,  if  you  be  the  gentleman 
that  finds  the  upright  Onondago,  or  the  Withered  Hemlock, 
in  his  old  age,  with  a  wigwam,  and  keeps  it  filled  with  food 
and  fuel." 

"  Is  this  possible !  And  all  this  is  spoken  of,  and  known 
among  the  savages  of  the  Far  West  ?" 

"  If  you  call  these  chiefs,  savages,"  returned  the  interpre 
ter,  a  little  offended  at  hearing  such  a  term  applied  to  his 
oest  friends  and  constant  associates.  "  To  be  sure  they 
have  their  ways,  and  so  have  the  pale-faces ;  but  Injin  ways 
be  not  so  very  savage,  when  a  body  gets  a  little  used  to 


THE     REDSKINS.  283 

them.  Now,  I  remember  it  was  a  long  time  before  1  could 
get  reconciled  to  seeing  a  warrior  scalp  his  enemy  ;  but  as  J 
reasoned  on  it,  and  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  practice,  1 
began  to  feel  it  was  all  right." 

1  was  walking  just  in  front  of  my  uncle,  for  we  were  in 
motion  again  on  our  way  to  the  wood,  but  could  not  help 
turning  and  saying  to  him  with  a  smile — 

"So  it  would  seem  that  this  matter  of  the  'spirit'  is  to 
be  found  in  other  places  besides  the  legislature.  There  is 
the  '  spirit  of  scalping,'  as  well  as  the  «  spirit  of  the  institu 
tions !' " 

"  Ay,  Hugh,  and  the  '  spirit  of  fleecing,'  as  a  consequence 
of  what  is  profanely  termed  the  last.  But,  it  may  be  well 
to  go  no  nearer  to  the  wood,  than  this  spot.  The  Injins  1 
have  told  you  of  are  in  these  bushes  in  front,  and  they  are 
armed — I  leave  you  to  communicate  with  them  in  any  man 
ner  you  please.  They  are  about  twenty  in  number." 

The  interpreter  informed  his  chiefs  of  what  had  been  said, 
who  spoke  together  in  earnest  consultation  for  a  moment. 
Then  Prairiefire,  himself,  plucked  a  branch  off  the  nearest 
bush,  and  holding  it  up  he  advanced  close  to  the  cover,  and 
called  out  aloud,  in  some  one,  or  in  many  of  the  different 
dialects  with  which  he  was  acquainted.  I  saw  by  the 
moving  of  their  branches,  that  men  were  in  the  bushes ;  but 
no  answer  of  any  sort  was  made.  There  was  one  savage 
in  our  band,  who  betrayed  manifest  impatience  at  these 
proceedings.  He  was  a  large,  athletic  Iowa  chief,  called  in 
English  Flintyheart,  and,  as  we  subsequently  learned,  of  great 
renown  for  martial  exploits.  It  was  always  difficult  to  hold 
him  in,  when  there  was  a  prospect  of  scalps,  and  he  was 
now  less  restrained  than  common,  from  the  circumstance  of 
his  having  no  superior  of  his  own  particular  tribe  present. 
After  Prairiefire  had  called  two  or  three  limes  in  vain  to  the 
party  in  the  cover,  Flintyhead  stepped  out,  spoke  a  few 
words,  with  energy  and  spirit,  terminating  his  appeal  by  a 
most  effective,  not  to  say  appalling,  whoop.  That  sound 
was  echoed  back  by  most  of  the  band,  wrfbn  they  all  broke 
off,  right  and  left,  stealing  more  like  snakes  than  bipeds  to 
the  fences,  under  cover  of  which  they  glanced  forward  to 
the  wood,  in  which  every  man  of  them  buried  himself,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  In  vain  had  the  interpreter  called  to 


284  THE     REDSKINS. 

them,  to  remind  them  where  they  were,  and  to  tell  them 
that  they  might  displease  their  Great  Father,  at  Washington  ; 
and  Prairiefire  stood  his  ground,  exposed  to  any  shot  the 
supposed  foe  might  send  at  him  ;  on  they  went,  like  so  many 
hounds  that  have  struck  a  scent  too  strong  to  be  held  in  re 
straint  by  any  whipper-in. 

"  They  expect  to  find  Injins,"  said  the  interpreter,  in  a 
sort  of  despair,  "and  there's  no  holdin'  'em  back.  There 
can  be  no  enemies  of  their'n  down  here-a-way,  and  the  agent 
will  be  awfully  angry  if  blood  is  drawn;  though  I  shouldn't 
mind  it  a  bit  if  the  party  was  some  of  them  scoundrels,  the 
Sauks  and  Foxes,  whom  it 's  often  a  marcy  to  kill.  It 's 
different  down  here,  however,  and  I  must  say  I  wish  this 
nadn't  happened." 

My  uncle  and  myself  just  waited  long  enough  to  hear 
this,  when  we  rushed  forward,  along  the  highway,  and  en 
tered  the  wood,  joined  by  Prairiefire,  who,  fancying  by  our 
movement  that  all  was  right,  now  raised  such  a  whoop  him 
self  as  to  demonstrate  it  was  not  for  want  of  *  knowing  how' 
that  he  had  hitherto  been  silent.  The  road  made  a  curve 
at  the  very  point  where  it  penetrated  the  forest,  and  being 
fringed  with  the  bushes  already  mentioned,  the  two  circum 
stances  shut  out  the  view  of  what  was  passing  behind  the 
scenes,  until  we  reached  the  turn,  where  a  common  halt  of 
the  wagons  had  been  made,  when  the  whole  view  burst 
upon  us  at  once  in  all  its  magnificence. 

A  rout  of  a  '  grand  army'  could  scarcely  have  been  more 
picturesque !  The  road  was  lined  with  vehicles,  in  full 
retreat,  to  use  a  military  term,  or,  to  speak  in  the  more 
common  parlance,  scampering  off.  Every  whip  was  in 
active  use,  every  horse  was  on  the  run,  whilst  half  the 
faces  were  turned  behind  their  owners,  the  women  sending 
back  screams  to  the  whoops  of  the  savages.  As  for  the 
Injins,  they  had  instinctively  abandoned  the  woods,  and 
poured  down  into  the  highway,  speed  like  theirs  demanding 
open  ground  fo£  its  finest  display.  Some  had  leaped  into 
wagons,  piling  themselves  up  among  those  virtuous  wives 
and  daughters  of  that  portion  of  the  honest  yeomanry  who 
had  collected  to  devise  the  means  of  cheating  me  out  of  my 
property.  But,  why  dwell  on  this  scene,  since  the  exploits 
of  these  Injins,  for  the  last  six  years,  have  amply  proved 


THE     REDSKINS.  285 

that  the  only  thing  in  which  they  excel,  is  in  running  away. 
They  are  heroes  when  a  dozen  can  get  round  a  single  man 
to  tar  and  feather  him  ;  valiant  as  a  hundred  against  five  or 
six,  and  occasionally  murderers,  when  each  victim  can  be 
destroyed  by  five  or  six  bullets,  to  make  sure  of  him.  The 
very  cowardice  of  the  scoundrels  should  render  them  loath 
some  to  the  whole  community  ;  the  dog  that  has  spirit  only 
to  hunt  in  packs  being  cur  at  the  bottom. 

I  must  add  one  other  object  to  the  view,  however.  Holmes 
and  Shabbakuk  brought  up  the  rear,  and  both  were  flogging 
.heir  devoted  beast  as  if  his  employers — I  dare  not  call  them 
masters,'  as  I  might  be  accused  of  aristocracy  for  using  so 
offensive  a  term  in  this  age  of  common-sense  liberty,  while 
*  employers'  is  a  very  significant  expression  for  the  particu 
lar  occasion —  as  if  his  'employers,'  then,  had  left  some 
thing  behind  them,  at  '  Little  Neest,'  and  were  hurrying 
back  to  obtain  it  before  it  fell  into  other  hands.  Old  Holmes 
kept  looking  behind,  as  if  chased  by  the  covenants  of  forty 
leases,  while  the  "  Spirit  of  the  Institutions,"  headed  by  two 
governors,  and  "  the  honourable  gentleman  from  Albany," 
was  in  full  pursuit.  If  the  "  Spirit  of  the  Institutions"  was 
really  there,  it  was  quite  alone  ;  for  I  looked  in  vain  for  the 
exhibition  of  any  other  spirit.  In  much  less  time  than  it  has 
taken  me  to  write  this  account,  the  road  was  cleared,  leaving 
my  uncle,  myself,  and  Prairiefire,  in  quiet  possession  ;  the 
latter  uttering  a  very  significant  "  hugh  !"  as  the  last  wagon 
went  out  of  sight  in  a  cloud  of  dust. 

It  was  but  a  moment,  however,  before  our  own  tribe,  01 
tribes  would  be  more  accurate,  came  down  upon  us,  collect 
ing  in  the  road  at  the  very  spot  where  we  stood.  The  yic- 
tory  had  been  bloodless,  but  it  was  complete.  Not  only  had 
the  savage  Indians  completely  routed  the  virtuous  and  much- 
oppressed-by-aristocracy  Injins,  but  they  had  captured  two 
specimens  of  virtue  and  depression  in  the  persons  of  as 
many  of  the  band.  So  very  significant  and  expressive  was 
the  manner  of  the  captives,  that  Flintyh'eart,  into  whose 
hands  they  had  fallen,  not  only  seemed  to  hold  their  scalps 
in  contempt,  but  actually  had  disdained  to  disarm  them 
There  they  stood,  bundles  of  calico,  resembling  children  in 
swaddling-clothes,  with  nothing  partaking  of  that  natural 
freedom  of  which  tt.eir  party  love  to  boast,  but  their  legs, 


286  THE     REDSKINS. 

which  were  left  at  perfect  liberty,  by  way  of  a  dernier  re* 
sort.  My  uncle  now  assumed  a  little  authority,  and  com 
manded  these  fellows  to  take  off  their  disguises.  He  might 
as  well  have  ordered  one  of  the  oaks,  or  maples,  to  lay  down 
its  leaves  before  the  season  came  round  ;  for  neither  would 
obey. 

The  interpreter,  however,  whose  name  was  Manytongues, 
rendered  into  English  from  the  Indian  dialects,  was  a  man 
of  surprisingly  few  words,  considering  his  calling,  on  an 
occasion  like  this.  Walking  up  to  one  of  the  prisoners,  he 
first  disarmed  him,  and  then  removed  his  calico  hood,  ex 
posing  the  discomfited  countenance  of  Brigham,  Tom  Mil 
ler's  envious  labourer.  The  "  hughs !"  that  escaped  the 
Indians  were  very  expressive,  on  finding  that  not  only  did 
a  pale-face  countenance  appear  from  beneath  the  covering, 
but  one  that  might  be  said  to  be  somewhat  paler  than  com 
mon.  Manytongues  had  a  good  deal  of  frontier  waggery 
about  him,  and,  by  this  time  he  began  to  comprehend  how 
the  land  lay.  Passing  his  hand  over  Josh's  head,  he  coolly 
remarked — 

"  That  scalp  would  be  thought  more  of,  in  Iowa,  than  it 's 
ra-ally  worth,  I  'm  thinking,  if  truth  was  said.  But  let  us 
see  who  we  have  here." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  words,  as  it  is  termed,  the  inter 
preter  laid  hold  of  the  hood  of  the  other  captive,  but  did  not 
succeed  in  removing  it  without  a  sharp  struggle.  He  effected 
his  purpose,  assisted  by  two  of  the  younger  chiefs,  who 
stepped  forward  to  aid  him.  I  anticipated  the  result,  for  I 
had  early  recognised  the  goar;  but  great  was  the  surprise 
of  any  uncle  when  he  saw  Seneca  Newcome's  well-known 
face  developed  by  the  change ! 

Seneca — or,  it  might  be  better  now  to  use  his  own  favour 
ite  orthoepy,  and  call  him  Sene%,  at  once,  for  he  had  a 
particularly  sneaking  look  as  he  emerged  from  under  the 
calico,  and  this  would  be  suiting  the  sound  to  appearances— 
Seneky,  then,  was  in  a  "  mingled  tumult,"  as  it  is  called, 
of  rage  and  shame.  The  first  predominated,  however,  and, 
as  is  only  too  common  in  cases  of  military  disasters,  instead 
of  attributing  his  capture  to  circumstan'ces,  the  prowess  of 
his  enemies,  or  any  fault  of  his  own,  he  sought  to  mitigate  his 
own  disgrace  by  heaping  disgrace  on  his  comrade.  Tnderfl? 


THE     REDSKINS.  287 

he  manner  in  which  these  men  went  at  each  other,  as 
soon  as  unsacked,  reminded  me  of  two  game  cocks  that  are 
let  out  of  their  bags  within  three  feet  of  each  other,  with  this 
exception  —  neither  crowed. 

"  This  is  all  your  fault,  you  cowardly  dog,"  said  Seneky, 
almost  fiercely,  for  shame  had  filled  his  face  with  blood. 
"  Had  you  kept  on  your  feet,  and  riot  run  me  down,  in  your 
haste  to  get  off,  I  might  have  retreated,  and  got  clear  with 
the  rest  of  them." 

This  assault  was  too  much  for  Joshua,  who  gained  spiri* 
to  answer  by  its  rudeness  and  violence,  not  to  say  injus 
tice ;  for,  as  we  afterwards  ascertained,  Newcome  had  actu 
ally  fallen  in  his  eagerness  to  retreat ;  and  Brigham,  so  fai 
from  being  the  cause  of  his  coming  down,  had  only  pre 
vented  his  getting  up,  by  falling  on  top  of  him.  In  this 
prostrate  condition  they  had  further  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
their  enemies. 

"  I  want  nothin'  from  you,  'Squire  Newcome,"  answered 
Joshua,  quite  decidedly  as  to  tone  and  manner ;  "  your  cha 
racter  is  well  known,  all  up  and  down  the  country." 

"  What  of  my  character?  —  What  have  you  got  to  say 
ag'in'  me  or  my  character?"  demanded  the  attorney  at  law, 
in  a  tone  of  high  defiance.  "  I  want  to  see  the  man  who 
can  say  anything  ag'in'  my  character." 

This  was  pretty  well,  considering  that  the  fellow  had  act 
ually  been  detected  in  the  commission  of  a  felony;  though 
I  suppose  that  difficulty  would  have  been  gotten  over,  in  a 
moral  sense,  by  the  claim  of  being  taken  while  struggling 
in  defence  of  human  rights,  and  the  "  spirit  of  the  institu 
tions."  The  defiance  was  too  much  for  Brigham's  patience, 
and  being  fully  assured,  by  this  time,  that  he  was  not  in 
much  danger  of  being  scalped,  he  turned  upon  Seneca,  and 
cried,  with  something  more  than  spirit,  with  downright  ran 
cour — 

"  You're  a  pretty  fri'nd  of  the  poor  man,  and  of  the 
people,  if  truth  must  be  said,  an't  you?  Everybody  in  the 
county  that's  in  want  of  money  knows  what  you  be,  you 
d d  shaver." 

As  the  last  words  came  out,  Seneky's  fist  went  in  upon 
Brigham's  nose,  causing  the  blood  to  flow  freely.  My  uncle 


288  THE     REDSKINS. 

Ro  now  thought  it  time  to  interfere,  and  he  rebuked  the 
irritated  lawyer  with  dignity. 

"  Why  did  he  call  me  a  d d  shaver,  then  ?"  retorted 

Seneky,  still  angry  and  red.  "I'll  stand  that  from  no 
man." 

"  Why,  what  harm  can  there  be  in  such  a  charge,  Mr. 
Newcome  1  You  are  a  member  of  the  bar,  and  ought  to 
understand  -the  laws  of  your  country,  and  cannot  stand  in 
need  of  being  told  that  it  has  been  decided  by  the  highest 
tribunal  of  your  State  that  it  is  no  reproach  to  be  called  a 
shaver !  Some  of  the  honourable  members  of  that  learned 
body,  indeed,  seem  to  think,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  is  matter 
of  commendation  and  congratulation.  I  am  ashamed  of 
you,  Mr.  Newcome — I'm  quite  ashamed  of  you." 

Seneky  muttered  something,  in  which  I  fancied  I  under 

stood  the  words  "  the  Court  of  Errors  be  d d,"  or  "  the 

Court  of  Errors"  might  go  to  some  very  bad  place,  which 
I  will  not  name ;  but  I  will  not  take  on  myself  that  any 
man  of  decency  could  really  use  such  irreverent  language 
about  a  body  so  truly  eminent,  though  a  person  in  a  passion 
is  sometimes  disposed  to  forget  propriety.  My  uncle  now 
thought  it  time  to  put  an  end  to  this  scene;  and,  without 
deigning  to  enter  into  any  explanations,  he  signified  to  Many- 
tongues  his  readiness  to  lead  his  chiefs  to  the  point  where 
they  desired  to  go. 

ct  As  to  these  two  Injins.,"  he  added,  "  their  capture  will 
do  us  no  honour ;  and  now  we  know  who  they  are,  they  can 
be  taken  at  any  time  by  the  deputy  sheriffs  or  constables. 
It  is  hardly  worth  while  to  encumber  your  march  with  such 
fellows." 

The  chiefs  assented  to  this  proposal,  too,  and  we  quitted 
tha  woods  in  a  body,  leaving  Seneky  and  Joshua  on  the 
giound.  As  we  subsequently  learned,  our  backs  were  no 
sooner  turned,  than  the  last  pitched  into  the  first,  and 
pounded  him  not  only  until  he  owned  he  was  "  a  shaver," 

but  that  he  was  "  a  .d d  shaver"  in  the  bargain.     Such 

was  the  man,  and  such  the  class,  that  the  deluded  anti- 
renters  of  New  York  wish  to  substitute,  in  a  social  sense, 
for  the  ancient  -landlords  of  the  country  !  A  pretty  top- 
sheaf  they  would  make  to  the  stack  of  the  community,  and 


THE     REDSKINS.  289 

admirably  would  the  grain  be  kept  that  was  protected  by 
their  covering !  One  would  like  to  see  fellows  of  this  morai 
calibre  interpreting  their  covenants ;  and  it  would  be  a  use 
ful,  though  a  painful  lesson,  to  see  the  change  effected  for  a 
twelvemonth,  in  order  to  ascertain,  after  things  had  got  back 
into  the  old  natural  channel,  how  many  would  then  wish  to 
"  return,  like  the  dog  to  his  vomit,  or  the  sow  to  her  wal 
lowing  in  the  mire," 

After  giving  some  directions  to  Manytongues,  my  uncle 
and  I  got  into  our  wagon  and  drove  up  the  road,  leaving  the 
Indians  to  follow.  The  rendezvous  was  at  the  Nest,  whither 
we  had  now  determined  to  proceed  at  once,  and  assume  our 
proper  characters.  In  passing  the  rectory  we  found  time 
to  stop  and  run  in,  to  inquire  after  the  welfare  of  Mr.  and 
Miss  Warren.  Great  was  my  joy  at  learning  they  had 
gone  on  to  the  Nest,  where  they  were  all  to  dine.  This 
intelligence  did  not  tend  to  lessen  the  speed  of  Miller's  horse, 
or  my  horse  it  would  be  better  to  say,  for  I  am  the  real 
owner  of  everything  on  the  Nest  Farm,  and  shall  probably 
so  remain,  unless  the  "spirit  of  the  Institutions"  gets  at  my 
property  there,  as  well  as  in  other  places.  In  the  course 
of  half  an  hour  we  drove  on  the  lawn,  and  stopped  at  the 
door.  It  will  be  recollected  that  the  Indians  had  our  wigs, 
which  had  been  left  by  my  uncle  and  myself  in  their  hands, 
as  things  of  no  further  use  to  us.  Notwithstanding  our 
dresses,  the  instant  we  presented  ourselves  without  these 
instruments  of  disguise  we  were  recognized,  and  the  cry 
went  through  the  house  and  grounds  that  "  Mr.  Hugh  had 
come  home !"  I  confess  I  was  touched  with  some  signs  of 
interest  and  feeling  that  escaped  the  domestics,  as  well  as 
those  who  belonged  out  of  doors,  when  they  saw  me  again 
standing  before  them  in  health,  if  not  in  good  looks.  My 
uncle,  too,  was  welcome ;  and  there  were  a  few  minutes 
during  which  I  forgot  all  my  grounds  for  vexation,  and 
was  truly  happy. 

Although  my  grandmother,  and  sister,  and  Mary  War- 
len,  all  knew  what  the  cry  of  "Mr.  Hugh  has  got  home" 
meant,  it  brought  everybody  out  upon  the  piazza.  Mr. 
Warren  had  related  the  events  of  the  day,  as  far  as  he  was 
acquainted  with  them ;  but  even  those  who  were  in  the  se 
cret,  were  surprised  at  our  thus  returning  unwigged,  and  in 
25 


290  THE     REDSKINS. 

our  proper  characters.  As  for  myself,  I  could  not  but  note 
the  manner  in  which  the  four  girls  came  out  to  meet  me. 
Martha  flew  into  my  embrace,  cast  her  arms  around  my 
neck,  kissing  me  six  or  eight  times  without  stopping.  Then 
Miss  Colebrooke  came  next,  with  Ann  Marston  leaning  on 
her  arm,  both  smiling,  though  greatly  surprised,  and  both 
bright,  and  pretty,  and  lady-like.  They  were  glad  to  see 
me,  and  met  my  salutations  frankly  and  like  old  friends ; 
though  I  could  see  they  did  not  fancy  my  dress  in  the  least. 
Mary  Warren  was  behind  them  all,  smiling,  blushing,  and 
shy ;  but  it  did  not  require  two  looks  from  me  to  make  cer 
tain  that  her  welcome  was  as  sincere  as  that  of  my  older 
friends.  Mr.  Warren  was  glad  to  have  it  in  his  power  to 
greet  us  openly,  and  to  form  an  acquaintance  with  those,  to 
whose  return  he  had  now  been  looking  with  anxiety  and 
hope,  for  three  or  four  years. 

A  few  minutes  sufficed  for  the  necessary  explanations,  a 
part  of  which,  indeed,  had  already  been  made  by  those  who 
were  previously  in  the  secret;  when  my  dear  grandmother 
and  Patt  insisted  on  our  going  up  to  our  old  room,  and  of 
dressing  ourselves  in  attire  more  suitable  to  our  stations. 
A  plenty  of  summer  clothes  had  been  left  behind  us,  and 
our  wardrobes  had  been  examined  that  morning  in  anticipa 
tion  of  our  soon  having  need  of  them ;  so  that  no  great  time 
was  necessary  to  make  the  change.  I  was  a  little  fuller 
than  when  I  left  home,  but  the  clothes  being  loose,  there 
was  no  difficulty  in  equipping  myself.  I  found  a  handsome 
blue  dress  coat,  that  did  very  well,  and  vests  and  pantaloons, 
ad  libitum.  Clothing  is  so  much  cheaper  in  Europe  than 
at  home,  that  Americans  who  are  well  supplied,  do  not  often 
carry  much  with  them  when  they  go  abroad  ;  and  this  had 
been  a  rule  with  my  uncle  all  his  life.  Each  of  us,  more 
over,  habitually  kept  a  supply  of  country  attire  at  the  Nest, 
which  we  did  not  think  of  removing.  In  consequence  of 
these  little  domestic  circumstances,  as  has  been  said,  there 
was  no  want  of  the  means  of  putting  my  uncle  and  myself 
on  a  level  with  others  of  our  class,  as  respects  outward  ap 
pearance,  in  that  retired  part  of  the  country,  at  least. 

The  apartments  of  my  uncle  and  myself  were  quite  near 
each  other,  in  the  north  wing  of  the  house ;  as  that  which 
looked  in  the  direction  of  a  part  of  the  meadows  under  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  291 

cliff,. the  wooded  ravine,  and  the  wigwam,  or  cabin,  cf  the 
"  Upright  Onondago."  The  last  was  very  plainly  in  view, 
from  the  window  of  my  dressing-room ;  and  I  was  standing 
at  the  latter,  contemplating  the  figures  of  the  two  old  fellows, 
as  they  sat  basking  in  the  sun,  as  was  their  practice  of  an 
afternoon,  when  a  tap  at  the  door  proved  to  be  the  announce 
ment  of  the  entrance  of  John. 

"  Well,  John,  my  good  fellow,"  I  said,  laughingly;  "I 
find  a  wig  makes  a  great  difference  with  your  means  of  re 
cognizing  an  old  friend.  I  must  thank  you,  nevertheless, 
for  the  good  treatment  you  gave  me  in  my  character  of  a 
music-grinder." 

"  I  am  sure,  Mr.  Hugh,  you  are  heartily  welcome  to  my 
services,  come  as  you  may  to  ask  them.  It  was  a  most 
surprisingest  deception,  sir,  as  I  shall  ever  hadmit ;  but  I 
thought  the  whole  time  you  wasn't  exactly  what  you  seemed 
to  be,  as  I  told  Kitty  as  soon  as  I  went  down  stairs  :  '  Kitty,' 
says  I,  '  them  two  pedlars  is  just  the  two  genteelest  pedlars 
as  hever  I  see  in  this  country,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if 
they  had  known  better  days.'  But,  now  you  have  been  to 
see  the  hanti-renters  with  your  own  eyes,  Mr.  Hugh,  what 
do  you  think  of  them,  if  I  may  be  so  bold  as  to  ask  tho 
question  ?" 

"  Very  much  as  I  thought,  before  I  had  been  to  see  them. 
They  are  a  set  of  fellows  who  are  canting  about  liberty,  at 
the  very  moment  when  they  are  doing  all  they  can  to  dis 
credit  its  laws,  and  who  mistake  selfishness  for  patriotism  ; 
just  as  their  backers  in  the  State  government  are  doing,  by 
using  the  same  cant,  when  their  object  is  nothing  but  votes. 
If  no  tenant  had  a  vote,  this  question  would  never  have 
been  raised,  or  dreamt  of — but  I  see  those  two  old  fellows, 
Jaaf  and  Sus,  seem  to  enjoy  themselves  still." 

"  Indeed  they  do,  sir,  in  the  most  surprisingest  manner! 
They  was  both  antiquities,  as  we  says  in  Hengland,  when 
I  came  to  this  country,  sir  —  and  that  was  before  you  was 
born,  Mr.  Hugh  —  an  age  agone.  But  there  they  sits,  sir, 
day  in  and  day  out,  looking  like  monumentals  of  past 
times.  The  nigger"  —  John  had  been  long  enough  in  the 
country  to  catch  the  vernacular — "  The  nigger  grows  uglier 
and  uglier  every  year,  and  that  is  most  of  a  change  I  can 
Bee  in  him;  while  I  do  think,  sir,  that  the  Indian  grows 


292       .  THE     REDSKINS. 

'andsomer  and  'andsomer.  He  's  the  'andsomest  old  gen 
tleman,  sir,  as  I  knows  of,  far  and  near !" 

"  Old  gentleman  /"  What  an  expressive  term  that  was, 
in  this  case!  No  human  being  would  ever  think  of  calling 
Jaaf  an  "  old  gentleman,"  even  in  these  "  aristocratic"  days, 
when  "  gentlemen"  are  plentier  than  blackberries ;  while 
any  one  might  feel  disposed  thus  to  describe  Susquesus. 
The  Onondago  was  a  gentleman,  in  the  best  meaning  of  the 
word  ;  though  he  may,  and  certainly  did,  want  a  great 
deal  in  the  way  of  mere  conventional  usages.  As  for  John, 
he  never  would  have  used  the  word  to  me,  except  in  a  case 
in  which  he  felt  the  party  had  a  claim  to  the  appellation. 

"  Susquesus  is  a  magnificent  sight,  with  his  grey  or 
white  head,  fiery  eyes,  composed  features,  and  impressive 
air,"  I  answered ;  "  and  Jaaf  is  no  beauty.  How  do  the 
old  men  get  on  together  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  they  quarrel  a  good  deal — that  is,  the  nigger 
quarrels  ;  though  the  Indian  is  too  much  above  him  to  mind 
what  he  says.  Nor  will  I  say  that  Yop  actually  quarrels, 
sir,  for  he  has  the  greatest  possible  regard  for  his  friend  ; 
but  he  aggravates  in  the  most  surprisingest  manner — just 
like  a  nigger,  howsever,  I  do  suppose." 

"  They  have  wanted  for  nothing,  I  trust,  during  my  ab 
sence.  Their  table  and  other  comforts  have  been  seen  to 
carefully,  I  hope?'1 

"JN"o  fear  of  that,  sir,  so  long  as  Mrs.  Littlepage  lives! 
She  has  the  affection  of  a  child  for  the  old  men,  and  hae 
everything  provided  for  them  that  they  can  possibly  want. 
Betty  Smith,  sir — you  remember  Betty,  the  widow  of  the  old 
coachman,  that  died  when  you  was  at  college,  sir  —  well, 
Betty  has  done  nothing,  these  four  years,  but  look  after 
them  two  old  men.  She  keeps  everything  tidy  in  their 
hut,  and  washes  it  out  twice  a  week,  and  washes  their 
clothes  for  them,  and  darns,  and  sews,  and  cooks,  and 
looks  after  all  their  comforts.  She  lives  hard  by,  in  the 
other  cottage,  sir,  and  has  everything  handy." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that.  Does  either  of  the  old  men  ever 
stray  over  as  far  as  the  Nest  House  now,  John  ?"  Before 
I  went  abroad,  we  had  a  visit  from  each,  daily." 

"That  custom  has  fallen  away  a  little,  sir;  though  the 
nigger  comes  much  the  oftenest.  He  is  sure  to  be  here 


THE     REDSKINS.  293 

once  or  twice  a  week,  in  good  weather.  Then  he  walks 
into  the  kitchen,  where  he  will  sit  sometimes  for  a  whole 
morning,  telling  the  hardest  stories,  sir  —  ha,  ha,  ha  !  —  yes, 
sir,  just  the  hardest  stories  one  ever  heard  !" 

««  Why  what  can  he  have  to  say  of  that  nature,  that  it 
seems  to  amuse  you  so  ?" 

"According  to  his  notion,  sir,  everything  in  the  country 
is  falling  away,  and  is  inferior  like  to  what  it  may  have 
been  in  his  young  flays.  The  turkeys  arn't  so  large,  sir; 
and  the  fowls  is  poorer,  sir;  and  the  mutton  isn't  so  fat, 
sir ;  and  sich  sort  of  enormities." 

Here  John  laughed  very  heartily,  though  it  was  plain 
enough  he  did  not  much  fancy  the  comparisons. 

"  And  Susquesus,"  I  said,  "  he  does  not  share  in  his 
rriend's  criticisms?"  :'  , fl 

"  Sus  never  enters  the  kitchen,  sir,  at  all.  He  knows  that 
all  the  quality  and  upper  class  come  to  the  great  door  of  the 
house,  and  is  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to  come  in  at  any 
other  entrance.  No,  sir,  I  never  saw  Sus  in  the  kitchen  or 
hoffices,  at  all ;  nor  does  Mrs.  Littlepage  'ave  his  table  set 
anywhere  but  in  the  hupper  rooms,  or  on  the  piazza,  when 
she  wishes  to  treat  him  to  anything  nice.  The  old  gentle 
man  has  what  he  calls  his  traditions,  sir,  and  can  tell  a  great 
many  stories  of  old  times  ;  but  they  ar'n't  about  turkeys,  and 
'orses,  and  garden-stuff,  and  such  things  as  Yop  dwells  on 
so  much,  and  so  uncomfortably." 

I  now  dismissed  John,  after  again  thanking  him  for  his 
civilities  to  one  of  my  late  appearance,  and  joined  my  uncle. 
When  we  entered  the  little  drawing-room,  where  the  whole 
party  was  waiting  to  meet  us,  previously  to  going  to  the 
table,  a  common  exclamation  of  pleasure  escaped  them  all. 
Martha  again  kissed  me,  declaring  I  was  now  Hugh ;  that 
I  looked  as  she  had  expected  to  see  Hugh ;  that  she  would 
now  know  me  for  Hugh,  and  many  other  similar  things; 
while  my  dear  grandmother  stood  and  parted  my  hair,  and 
gazed  into  my  face  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  for  I  reminded 
her  of  her  first-born,  who  had  died  so  young  !  As  for  the 
other  ladies,  the  two  heiress-wards  of  Uncle  Ro  seemed 
smiling  and  friendly,  and  willing  to  renew  our  ancient  ami 
cable  relations ;  but  Mary  Warren  still  kept  herself  in  tho 
25* 


294  THE     REDSKINS. 

back-ground,  though  I  thought  by  her  modest  and  half 
averted  eye,  and  flushed  cheeks,  that  she  sympathized  as 
deeply  in  her  friend  Patt's  present  happiness  as  any  of  the 
others  ;  possibly  more  deeply. 

Before  we  went  to  the  table  I  sent  a  servant  to  the  top  of 
the  house,  with  orders  to  look  down  the  road,  in  order  to 
ascertain  when  my  red  friends  might  be  expected.  This 
man  reported  that  they  were  advancing  along  the  highway, 
and  would  probably  reach  the  door  in  fte  course  of  half  an 
hour.  They  had  stopped ;  and  he  thought  that  he  could 
perceive,  by  means  of  his  glass,  that  they  were  painting  their 
faces,  and  otherwise  arranging  their  toilets,  in  preparation 
*br  the  anticipated  interview.  On  receiving  this  information 
we  took  our  seats  at  table,  expecting  to  be  ready  to  receive 
the  chiefs,  as  soon  as  they  should  arrive. 

Ours  was  a  happy  dinner.     For  the  moment,  the  condi 
tion  of  the  country  and  the  schemes  of  my  tenants  were  for 
gotten,  and  we  chatted  of  those  nearer  interests  and  feelings 
that  naturally  presented  themselves  to  our  minds  at  such  a 
time.    At  length  dear  grandmother  pleasantly  remarked — 

"  You  must  have  an  instinct  for  the  discovery  of  discre 
tion,  Hugh,  for  no  one  could  have  made  a  better  choice  of 
a  confidant  than  you  did,  while  going  to  the  village,  this 
morning." 

Mary  blushed  like  an  Italian  sky  at  eventide,  and  looked 
down,  to  conceal  her  confusion. 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  it  was  discretion  or  vanity, 
grandmother,"  was  my  answer,  "  for  I  am  conscious  of 
feeling  an  unconquerable  reluctance  to  passing  for  a  com 
mon  music-grinder  in  Miss  Warren's  eyes." 

"  Nay,  Hugh,"  put  in  the  saucy  Patt,  "  I  had  told  you 
before  that  you  passed  for  a  very  7/wcommon  music -grinder 
in  her  eyes.  As  for  the  grinding,  she  said  but  little  ;  for  it 
was  of  the  flute,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  it  was  played, 
that  Miss  Warren  spoke  the  most  eloquently." 

The  "Martha!"  of  Mary  Warren,  lowly,  but   half-re- 
proachfully  uttered,  showed  that  the  charming  girl  was  be 
ginning  to  be  really  distressed,  and  my  observant  parent 
changed  the  discourse  by  a  gentle  and  adroit  expedient 
such  as  a  woman  alone  knows  thoroughly  how  to  put  in 


THE     REDSKINS. 

practice.  It  was  simply  handing  Mr.  Watren  a  plate  of 
greengages  ;  but  the  act  was  so  performed  as  to  change  the 
discourse. 

During  the  whole  of  that  meal  I  felt  certain  there  was  a 
.secret,  mysterious  comrnunicatian  between  me  and  Mary 
Warren,  which,  while  it  probably  did  escape  the  notice  of 
others,  was  perfectly  evident  to  ourselves.  This  fact  I  felt 
to  be  true;  while  there  was  a  consciousness  betrayed  in 
Mary's  blushes,  and  even  in  her  averted  eyes,  that  I  found 
extremely  eloquent  on  the  same  subject. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

**  With  look,  like  patient  Job's,  eschewing  evil ; 
With  motions  graceful  as  a  bird's  in  air ; 
Thou  art,  in  sober  truth,  the  veriest  devil 
That  e'er  clinched  fingers  in  a  captive's  hair." 

Red  Jacket. 

ALTHOUGH  an  immense  progress  has  been  made  in  libe 
rating  this  country  from  the  domination  of  England,  in  the 
way  of  opinion  and  usages,  a  good  deal  remains  to  be  done 
yet.  Still,  he  who  can  look  back  forty  years,  must  see  the 
great  changes  that  have  occurred  in  very  many  things ;  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  who  lives  forty  years  hence,  will 
fin-d  very  few  remaining  that  have  no  better  reasons  for  their 
existence  among  ourselves  than  the  example  of  a  people  so 
remote,  with  a  different  climate,  different  social  organization, 
and  different  wants.  I  am  for  no  more  condemning  a  usage, 
however,  simply  because  it  is  English,  than  I  am  for  ap 
proving  it,  simply  because  it  is  English.  I  wish  everything 
to  stand  on  its  own  merits,  and  feel  certain  that  no  nation 
ever  can  become  great,  in  the  higher  signification  of  the 
term,  until  it  ceases  to  imitate,  because  it  is  imitation  of  a 
certain  fixed  model.  One  of  the  very  greates-t  evils  of  this 
imitative  spirit  is  even  now  developing  itself  in  what  is  called 
the  "  progress"  of  the  country,  which  is  assailing  principles 


THE     REDSKINS. 

that  are  as  old  as  the  existence  of  man,  and  vvhic,  may 
utmost  be  said  to  be  eternal  as  social  truths,  at  tht  very 
moment  that  notions  derived  from  our  ancestors  are  sub 
mitted  to  in  the  highest  places,  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States  for  example,  that  are  founded  in  facts  which  not  only 
have  no  existence  among  ourselves,  but  which  are  positively 
antagonist  to  such  as  have.  So  much  easier  is  it  to  join  in 
ihe  hurrah!  of  a  "  progress,"  than  to  ascertain  whether  it 
is  making  in  the  right  direction,  or  whether  it  be  progress 
at  all.  But,  to  return  from  things  of  moment  to  those  of 
less  concern. 

Among  other  customs  to  be  condemned  that  we  have 
derived  from  England,  is  the  practice  of  the  men  sitting  at 
table  after  the  women  have  left  it.  Much  as  I  may  wish  to 
see  this  every-way  offensive  custom  dcroe  away  with,  and  the 
more  polished  and  humanizing  usage  of  all  the  rest  of 
r-hristendom  adopted  in  its  stead,  I  should  feel  ashamed  at 
finding,  as  I  make  no  doubt  I  should  find  it,  that  our  custom 
would  be  abandoned  within  a  twelvemonth  after  it  might  be 
understood  it  was  abandoned  in  En-gland.  My  uncle  bad 
long  endeavoured  to  introduce  into  our  own  immediate  circle 
the  practice  of  retaining  the  ladies  at  table  for  a  reasonable 
time,  and  of  then  quitting  it  with  them  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  ;  but  it  is  hard  to  '  kick  against  the  pricks/  Men 
who  fancy  it  '  society'  to  meet  at  each  other's  houses  to 
drink  wine,  and  taste  wine,  and  talk  about  wine,  and  to 
outdo  each  other  in  giving  their  guests  the  most  costly 
wines,  are  not  to  be  diverted  easily  from  their  objects.  The 
bard-drinking  days  are  past,  but  the  hard  *  talking  days' are 
in  their  vigour.  If  it  could  be  understood,  generally,  that 
even  in  England  it  is  deemed  vulgar  to  descant  on  the 
liquor  that  is  put  upon  the  table,  perhaps  we  might  get  rid 
of  the  practice  too.  Vulgar  in  England  I  It  is  even 
deemed  vulgar  here,  by  the  right  sort,  as  I  am  ready  to 
maintain,  and  indeed  know  of  my  own  observation.  That 
one  or  two  friends  who  are  participating  in  the  benefits  of 
some  particularly  benevolent  bottle,  should  say  a  word  in 
commendation  of  its  merits,  is  natural  enough,  and  well 
enough ;  no  one  can  reasonably  find  any  fault  with  such  a 
sign  of  grateful  feeling ;  but  I  know  of  nothing  more  revoh- 


THE    REDSKINS.  297 

ing  than  to  see  twenty  grave  faces  arrayed  round  a  table, 
employed  as  so  many  tasters  at  a  Rhenish  wine  sale,  while 
the  cheeks  of  their  host  look  like  those  of  Boreas,  owing  to 
the  process  of  sucking  syphons. 

When  my  dear  grandmother  rose,  imitated  by  the  four 
bright-faced  girls,  who  did  as  she  set  the  example,  and 
said,  as  was  customary  with  the  old  school,  "  Well,  gen 
tlemen,  I  leave  you  to  your  wine;  but  you  will  recollect 
that  you  will  be  most  welcome  guests  in  the  drawing- 
room,"  my  uncle  caught  her  hand,  and  insisted  she 
should  not  quit  us.  There  was  something  exceedingly 
touching,  to  my  eyes,  -in  the  sort  of  intercourse,  and  in  the 
affection  which  existed  between  my  uncle  Ro  and  his  mother. 
A  bachelor  himself,  while  she  was  a  widow,  they  were  par 
ticularly  fond  of  each  other ;  and  many  is  the  time  that  I 
have  seen  him  go  up  to  her,  when  we  were  alone,  and  pat 
her  cheeks,  and  then  kiss  them,  as  one  might  do  so  to  a 
much-beloved  sister.  My  grandmother  always  received 
these  little  liberties  with  perfect  good-humour,  arid  with  evi 
dent  affection.  In  her  turn,  I  have  frequently  known  her  to 
approach  *  Roger,'  as  she  always  called  him,  and  kiss  his 
bald  head,  in  a  way  that  denoted  she  vividly  remembered 
the  time  when  he  was  an  infant  in  her  arms.  On  this  occa 
sion  she  yielded  to  his  request,  and  resumed  her  seat,  the 
girls  imitating  her,  nothing  loth,  as  they  had  done  in  rising. 
The  conversation  then,  naturally  enough,  reverted  to  the 
state  of  the  country. 

"It  has  much  surprised  me,  that  the  men  in  authority 
among  us  have  confined  all  their  remarks  and  statements  to 
the  facts  of  the  Rensselaer  and  Livingston  estates/'  observed 
my  grandmother,  "  when  there  are  difficulties  existing  in 
so  many  others." 

"  The  explanation  is  very  simple,  my  good  mother," 
answered  uncle  Ro.  "  The  Rensselaer  estates  have  the 
quarter-sales,  and  chickens,  and  days'  works ;  and  there  is 
much  of  the  ad  captandum  argument  about  such  things,  that 
does  very  well  to  work  up  for  political  effect ;  whereas,  on 
the  other  estates,  these  great  auxiliaries  must  be  laid  aside. 
It  is  just  as  certain,  as  it  is  that  the  sun  has  risen  this  day, 
that  an  extensive  and  concerted  plan  exists  to  transfer  the 
freehold  rights  of  the  landlords,  on  nearly  every  property 


298  THE     REDSKINS. 

in  the  Slate,  to  the  tenants ;  and  that,  too,  on  conditions 
unjustly  favourable  to  the  last ;  but  you  will  find  nothing 
of  the  sort  in  the  messages  of  governors,  or  speeches  of 
legislators,  who  seem  to  think  all  is  said,  when  they  have 
dwelt,  on  the  expediency  of  appeasing  the  complaints  of  the 
tenants,  as  a  high  political  duty,  without  stopping  to  inquire 
whether  those  complaints  are  founded  in  right  or  not.  The 
injury  that  will  be  done  to  the  republic,  by  showing  men 
how  much  can  be  effected  by  clamour,  is  of  itself  incalcu 
lable.  It  would  take  a  generation  to  do  away  the  evil  con 
sequences  of  the  example,  were  the  anti-rent  combination 
to  be  utterly  defeated  to-morrow." 

"  1  find  that  the  general  argument  against  the  landlords 
is  a  want  of  title,  in  those  cases  in  which  nothing  better  can 
be  found,"  observed  Mr.  Warren.  "  The  lecturer,  to-day, 
seemed  to  condemn  any  title  that  was  derived  from  the 
King,  as  defeated  by  the  conquest  over  that  monarch,  by  the 
war  of  the  revolution." 

"  A  most  charming  consummation  that  would  have  been 
for  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Littlepages !  There  were  my 
father,  grandfather,  and  great-grandfather,  all  in  arms,  in 
that  war ;  the  two  first  as  general  officers,  and  the  last  as 
a  major ;  and  the  result  of  all  their  hardships  and  dangers 
is  to  be  to  rob  themselves  of  their  own  property !  I  am 
aware  that  this  silly  pretence  has  been  urged,  even  in  a 
court  of  justice ;  but  folly,  and  wrong,  and  madness,  are 
not  yet  quite  ripe  enough  among  us,  to  carry  such  a  doc 
trine  down.  As  '  coming  events  cast  their  shacows  before,' 
it  is  possible  we  are  to  take  this  very  movement,  however, 
as  the  dawn  of  the  approaching  day  of  American  reason, 
and  not  as  a  twilight  left  by  the  departed  rays  of  a  sun  of 
a  period  of  mental  darkness." 

"  You  surely  do  not  apprehend,  uncle  Ro,  that  these 
people  can  really  get  Hugh's  lands  away  from  him  !"  ex- 
claimed  Patt,  reddening  with  anxiety  and  anger. 

"No  one  can  say,  my  dear;  for,  certainly,  no  one  is 
safe  when  opinions  and  acts,  like  those  which  have  been 
circulated  and  attempted  among  us  of  late  years,  can  be 
acted  on  without  awakening  very  general  indignation.  Look 
to  the  moneyed  classes  at  this  very  moment,"  agonized  and 
excited  on  the  subject  of  a  war  about  Oregon — a  thing  very 


THE     REDSKINS.  299 

jsttle  likely  to  occur,  though  certainly  possible;  while  they 
manifest  the  utmost  indifference  to  this  anti-rentism,  though 
the  positive  existence  of  everything  connected  with  just 
social  organization  is  directly  involved  in  its  fate.  One  is 
a  bare  possibility,  but  it  convulses  the  class  I  have  named ; 
while  the  other  is  connected  with  the  existence  of  civilized 
society  itself;  yet  it  has  ceased  to  attract  attention,  and  is 
nearly  forgotten  !  Every  man  in  the  community,  whose 
means  raise  him  at  all  above  the  common  level,  has  a  direct 
interest  in  facing  this  danger,  and  in  endeavouring  to  put  it 
down ;  but  scarcely  any  one  appears  to  be  conscious  of  the 
importance  of  the  crisis.  We  have  only  one  or  two  more 
steps  to  make,  in  order  to  become  like  Turkey ;  a  country 
in  which  the  wealthy  are  obliged  to  conceal  their  means, 
in  order  to  protect  it  from  the  grasp  of  the  government  ; 
but  no  one  seems  to  care  at  all  about  it  1" 

"  Some  recent  travellers  among  us  have  said  that  we  have 
nearly  reached  that  pass  already,  as  our  rich  affect  great 
simplicity  and  plainness  in  public,  while  they  fill  their  houses 
in  private  with  all  the  usual  evidences  of  wealth  and  luxury. 
I  think  de  Tocqueville,  among  others,  makes  that  remark." 

"  Ay,  that  is  merely  one  of  the  ordinarily  sagacious  re 
marks  of  the  European,  who,  by  not  understanding  the  Ame 
rican  history,  confounds  causes  and  makes  mistakes.  The 
plainness  of  things  in  public  is  no  more  than  an  ancient 
habit  of  the  country,  while  the  elegance  and  luxury  in  pri 
vate  are  a  very  simple  and  natural  consequence  of  the  tastes 
of  women  who  live  in  a  state  of  society  in  which  they  are 
limited  to  the  very  minimum  of  refined  habits  and  intellectual 
pleasures.  The  writer  who  made  this  mistake  is  a  very  clever 
man,  and  has  exceeding  merit,  considering  his  means  of  ascer 
taining  truth ;  but  he  has  made  very  many  similar  blunders." 

"  Nevertheless,  Mr.  Littlepage,"  resumed  the  rector,  who 
was  a  gentleman,  in  all  the  senses  of  the  word,  and  knew 
the  world,  and  the  best  part  of  it,  too,  even  while  he  had 
preserved  an  admirable  simplicity  of  character,  "  changes 
have  certainly  taken  place  among  us,  of  the  nature  alluded 
to  by  M.  de  Tocqueville." 

"That  is  quite  true,  sir;  but  they  have  also  taken  place 
elsewhere.  When  I  was  a  boy,  I  can  well  remember  to 
have  seen  coaches-and-six  in  this  country,  and  almost  every 


THE     REDSKINS. 

man  of  fortune  drove  his  coach-and-four ;  whereas,  novr 
such  a  thing  is  of  the  rarest  occurrence  possible.  But  the 
same  is  true  all  over  Christendom  ;  for  when  I  first  went  to 
Europe,  coaches-and-six,  with  outriders,  and  all  that  sort  of 
state,  was  an  every-day  thing ;  whereas  it  is  now  never,  or 
at  least  very  seldom,  seen.  Improved  roads,  steam-boats, 
and  railroads,  can  produce  such  changes,  without  having 
recourse  to  the  oppression  of  the  masses." 

"  I  am  sure,"  put  in  Patt,  laughing,  "  if  publicity  be  what 
Mons.  de  Tocqueville  requires,  there  is  publicity  enough  in 
New  York  !  All  the  new-fashioned  houses  are  so  construct 
ed,  with  their  low  balconies  and  lower  windows,  that  any 
body  can  see  in  at  their  windows.  If  what  I  have  read  and 
neard  of  a  Paris  house  be  true,  standing  between  cour  et 
jardin,  there  is  infinitely  more  of  privacy  there  than  here ; 
and  one  might  just  as  well  say  that  the  Parisians  bury  them 
selves  behind  porte  cochZres,  and  among  trees,  to  escape  the 
attacks  of  the  Faubourg  St.  Antoine,  as  to  say  we  retreat 
into  our  houses  to  be  fine,  lest  the  mobocracy  would  not 
tolerate  us." 

"  The  girl  has  profited  by  your  letters,  I  see,  Hugh,"  said 
my  uncle,  nodding  his  head  in  approbation  ;  "  and  what  is 
more,  she  makes  a  suitable  application  of  her  tuition,  or 
rather,  of  yours.  No,  no,  all  that  is  a  mistake ;  and,  as* 
Martha  says,  no  houses  are  so  much  in  the  street  as  those 
of  the  new  styte  in  our  own  towns.  It  would  be  far  more 
just  to  say  that,  instead  of  retiring  within  doors  to  be  fine, 
as  Patt  calls  it,  unseen  by  envious  neighbours,  the  Manhat- 
tanese,  in  particular,  turn  their  dwellings  wrong  side  out, 
lest  their  neighbours  should  take  offence  at  not  being  per 
mitted  to  see  all  that  is  going  on  within.  But,  neither  is 
true*  The  house  is  the  mare  showy  because  it  is  most  under 
woman's  control ;  and  it  would  be  just  as  near  the  truth  to 
say  that  the  reason  why  the  American  men  appear  abroad 
in  plain  blue,  and  black,  and  brown  clothes,  while  their 
wives  and  daughters  are  at  home  in  silks  and  satins  —  ay, 
even  in  modern  brocades — is  an  apprehension  of  the  masses, 
as  to  ascribe  the  plainness  of  street  life,  compared  to  that 
within  doors,  to  the  same  cause.  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
difference  between  a  salon  in  the  Faubourg,  or  the  Chaussee 
cPAutin,  and  even  on  the  Boulevard  des  Itatiens.  But,  John 


THE    REDSKINS.  301 

is  craning  with  his  neck,  out  there  on  the  piazza,  as  if  our 
red  brethren  were  at  hand." 

So  it  was,  in  point  of  fact,  and  everybody  now  rose  from 
table,  without  ceremony,  and  went  forth  to  meet  our  guests. 
We  had  barely  time  to  reach  the  lawn,  the  ladies  having 
run  for  their  hats  in  the  meantime,  before  Prairiefire,  Flinty- 
heart,  Manytongues,  and  all  the  rest  of  them,  came  up,  on 
the  sort  of  half  trot  that  distinguishes  an  Indian's  march. 

Notwithstanding  the  change  in  our  dresses,  my  uncle  and 
myself  \vere  instantly  recognised,  and  courteously  saluted 
by  the  principal  chiefs.  Then  our  wigs  were  gravely  of 
fered  to  us,  by  two  of  the  younger  men ;  but  we  declined 
receiving  them,  begging  the  gentlemen  who  had  them  in 
keeping,  to  do  us  the  honour  to  accept  them,  as  tokens  of 
our  particular  regard.  This  was  done  with  great  good  will, 
and  with  a  pleasure  that  was  much  too  obvious  to  be  con 
cealed.  Half  an  hour  later,  I  observed  that  each  of  the 
young  forest  dandies  had  a  wig  on  his  otherwise  naked  head, 
with  a  peacock's  feather  stuck  quite  knowingly  in  the  lank 
hair.  The  effect  was  somewhat  ludicrous  ;  particularly  on 
the  young  ladies ;  but  I  saw  that  each  of  the  warriors  him 
self  looked  round,  as  if  to  ask  for  the  admiration  that  he 
felt  his  appearance  ought  to  awaken ! 

No  sooner  were  the  salutations  exchanged,  than  the  red- 
men  began  to  examine  the  house — the  cliff  on  which  it  stood 
— the  meadows  beneath,  and  the  surrounding  ground.  At 
first,  we  supposed,  that  they  were  struck  with  the  extent  and 
solidity  of  the  buildings,  together  with  a  certain  air  of  finish 
and  neatness,  that  is  not  everywhere  seen  in  America,  even 
in  the  vicinity  of  its  better-class  houses ;  but  Manytongues 
soon  undeceived  us.  My  uncle  asked  him,  why  all  the  red- 
men  had  broken  off,  and  scattered  themselves  around  the 
buildings,  some  looking  here,  others  pointing  there,  and  all 
manifestly  earnest  and  much  engaged  with  something; 
though  it  was  not  easy  to  understand  what  that  something 
was ;  in-ti  mating  his  supposition  that  they  might  be  struck 
with  the  buildings. 

"  Lord  bless  ye,  no  sir,"  answered  the  interpreter ;  "  they 

don't  care  a  straw  about  the  house,  or  any  house.     There's 

Plintyheart,  in  particular ;  he's  a  chief  that  you  can  no  more 

move  with  riches,  and  large  housen,  and  sich  like  matters, 

26 


302  THE     REDSKINS. 

,han  you  can  make  the  Mississippi  run  up  stream.  When 
we  went  to  Uncle  Sam's  house,  at  Washington,  he  scarce 
condescended  to  look  at  it ;  and  the  Capitol  had  no  more  ef 
fect  on  any  on  'em,  than  if  it  had  been  a  better  sort  of  wig 
wam  ;  not  so  much,  for  that  matter,  as  Injins  be  curious  in 
wigwams.  What's  put  'em  up,  on  a  trail  like,  just  now,  is 
he  knowledge  that  this  is  the  spot  where  a  battle  was  fit, 
something  like  ninety  seasons  ago,  in  which  the  Upright 
Onondago  was  consarned,  as  well  as  some  of  their  own  peo 
ple  on  t'other  side — that's  what's  put  'em  in  commotion." 

"  And  why  does  Flintyheart  talk  to  those  around  him 
with  so  much  energy ;  and  point  to  the  flats,  and  the  cliff, 
and  the  ravine  yonder,  that  lies  beyond  the  wigwam  of 
Susquesus?" 

"Ah!  Is  that,  then,  the  wigwam  of  the  Upright  Onon 
dago  !"  exclaimed  the  interpreter,  betraying  some  such  inte 
rest  as  one  might  manifest  on  unexpectedly  being  told  that 
he  saw  Mount  Vernon  or  Monticello,  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life.  "  Well,  it's  something  to  have  seen  that;  though  it 
will  be  more  to  see  the  man  himself;  for  all  the  tribes  on  the 
upper  prairies,  are  full  of  his  story  and  his  behaviour.  No 
Injin,  since  the  time  of  Tamenund  himself,  has  made  as 
much  talk,  of  late  years,  as  Susquesus,  the  Upright  Onon 
dago,  unless  it  might  be  Tecumthe,  perhaps.  But,  what  oc 
cupies  Flintyheart,  just  at  this  moment,  is  an  account  of  the 
battle,  in  which  his  father's  grandfather  lost  his  life,  though 
he  did  not  lose  his  scalp.  That  disgrace  he  is  now  telling 
on  'em,  he  escaped,  and  glad  enough  is  his  descendant,  that 
it  was  so.  It's  no  great  matter  to  an  Injin  to  be  killed  ;  but 
he'd  rather  escape  losing  his  scalp,  or  being  struck  at  all  by 
the  inimy,  if  it  can  possibly  be  made  to  turn  out  so.  Now 
he's  talking  of  some  young  pale-face  that  was  killed,  whom 
he  calls  Lover  of  Fun — and,  now  he's  got  on  some  nigger, 
who  he  says  fit  like  a  devil." 

"  All  these  persons  are  known  to  us,  by  our  traditions, 
also !"  exclaimed  my  uncle,  with  more  interest  than  I  had 
known  him  manifest  for  many  a  day.  "  But  I  'm  amazed  to 
find  that  the  Indians  retain  so  accurate  an  account  of  such 
small  matters,  for  so  long  a  time." 

"  It  isn't  a  small  matter  to  them.  Their  battles  is  seldom 
on  a  very  great  scale,  and  they  make  great  account  of  any 


THE     REDSKINS.  303 

fckrimmage  irt  which  noted  warriors  have  fallen."  Here 
Manytongues  paused  for  a  minute,  and  listened  attentively 
to  the  discourse  of  the  chiefs;  after  which  he  resumed  his 
explanations.  "  They  have  met  with  a  great  difficulty  in 
the  house,"  he  continued,  "  while  everything  else  is  right. 
They  understand  the  cliff  of  rocks,  the  position  of  the  build 
ings  themselves,  that  ravine  thereaway,  and  all  the  rest  of 
the  things  hereabouts,  except  the  house." 

"  What  may  be  the  difficulty  with  the  house  ?  Does  it 
not  stand  in  the  place  it  ought  to  occupy  ?" 

"  That  's  just  their  difficulty.  It  does  stand  where  it  ought 
to  stand,  but  it  isn't  the  right  sort  of  house,  though  they  say 
the  shape  agrees  well  enough  —  one  side  out  to  the  fields, 
like ;  two  sides  running  back  to  the  cliff,  and  the  cliff  itself 
for  the  other.  But  their  traditions  say  that  their  warriors 
indivour'd  to  burn  out  your  forefathers,  and  that  they  built 
a  fire  again'  the  side  of  the  buildin',  which  they  never  would 
have  done  had  it  been  built  of  stone,  as  this  house  is  built. 
That 's  what  partic'larly  puzzles  them." 

"  Then  their  traditions  are  surprisingly  minute  and  accu 
rate  !  The  house  which  then  stood  on,  or  near  this  spot, 
and  which  did  resemble  the  present  building  in  the  ground 
plan,  was  of  squared  logs,  and  might  have  been  set  on  fire, 
and  an  attempt  was  actually  made  to  do  so,  but  was  suc 
cessfully  resisted.  Your  chiefs  have  had  a  true  account; 
but  changes  have  been  made  here.  The  house  of  logs  stood 
near  fifty  years,  when  it  was  replaced  by  this  dwelling, 
.which  was  originally  erected  about  sixty  years  ago,  and 
has  been  added  to  since,  on  the  old  design.  No,  no  —  the 
traditions  are  surprisingly  accurate." 

This  gave  the  Indians  great  satisfaction,  as  soon  as  the 
fact  was  communicated  to  them ;  and  from  that  instant  all 
their  doubts  and  uncertainty  were  ended.  Their  own  know 
ledge  of  the  progress  of  things  in  a  settlement,  gave  them 
the  means  of  comprehending  any  other  changes  ;  though  the 
shape  of  this  building  having  so  nearly  corresponded  with 
that  of  which  their  traditions  spoke,  they  had  become  em 
barrassed  by  the  difference  in  the  material.  While  they 
were  still  continuing  their  examinations,  and  ascertaining 
localities  to  their  own  satisfaction,  my  uncle  and  myself 
continued  the  discourse  with  Manytongues. 


THE     REDSKINS. 

"  I  am  curious  to  know,"  said  my  uncle,  "  what  may  be 
he  history  of  Susquesus,  that  a  party  of  chiefs  like  these 
should  travel  so  far  out  of  their  way,  to  pay  him  the  ho 
mage  of  a  visit.  Is  his  great  age  the  cause  ?" 

"  That  is  one  reason,  sartainly  ;  though  there  is  another, 
that  is  of  more  account,  but  which  is  known  only  to  them 
selves.  I  have  often  tried  to  get  the  history  out  of  them, 
but  never  could  succeed.  As  long  as  I  can  remember,  the 
Onondagoes,  and  Tus-caroras,  and  the  Injins  of  the  old  New 
York  tribes,  that  have  found  their  way  up  to  the  prairies, 
have  talked  of  the  Upright  Onondago,  who  must  have  been 
an  old  man  when  I  was  born.  Of  late  years,  they  have 
talked  more  and  more  of  him ;  and  so  good  an  opportunity 
offering  to  come  and  see  him,  there  would  have  been  great 
disappointment  out  West,  had  it  been  neglected.  His  age 
is,  no  doubt,  one  principal  cause;  but  there  is  another,  though 
I  have  never  been  able  to  discover  what  it  is." 

"  This  Indian  has  been  in  communication,  and  connected 
with  my  immediate  family,  now  near,  if  not  quite  ninety 
years.  He  was  with  my  grandfather,  Cornelius  Littlepage, 
in  the  attack  on  Ty,  that  was  made  by  Abercrombie,  in 
1758  ;  and  here  we  are  within  twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  a 
century  from  that  event.  I  believe  my  great-grandfather, 
Herman  Mordaunt,  had  even  some  previous  knowledge  of 
him.  As  long  as  I  can  remember,  he  has  been  a  grey 
headed  old  man ;  and  we  suppose  both  he  and  the  negro 
who  lives  with  him,  to  have  seen  fully  a  hundred  and  twenty 
years,  if  not  more." 

'*  Something  of  importance  happened  to  Susquesus,  or  the 
Trackless,  as  he  was  then  called,  about  ninety-three  winters 
ago ;  that  much  I've  gathered  from  what  has  fallen  from 
the  chiefs  at  different  times ;  but,  what  that  something  was, 
it  has  exceeded  my  means  to  discover.  At  any  rate,  it  has 
quite  as  much  to  do  with  this  visit  as  the  Withered  Hemlock's 
great  age.  Injins  respect  years  ;  and  they  respect  wisdom 
highly ;  but  they  respect  courage  and  justice  most  of  all. 
The  tarm  '  Upright'  has  its  meaning,  depend  on't." 

We  were  greatly  interested  by  all  this,  as  indeed  were  my 
grandmother  and  her  sweet  companions.  Mary  Warren,  in 
particular,  manifested  a  lively  interest  in  Susquesus'  history, 
as  was  betrayed  in  a  brief  dialogue  I  now  had  with  her, 


THE     REDSKINS.  305 

Walking  to  and  fro  in  front  of  the  piazza,  while  the  rest  of 
the  party  were  curiously  watching  the  movements  of  the 
still  excited  savages. 

"  My  father  and  I  have  often  visited  the  two  old  men, 
and  have  been  deeply  interested  in  them,"  observed  this 
intelligent,  yet  simple-minded  girl,  —  "with  the  Indian,  in 
particular,  we  have  felt  a  strong  sympathy,  for  nothing  is 
plainer  than  the  keenness  with  which  he  still  feels  on  the 
subject  of  his  own  people.  We  have  been  told  that  he  is 
often  visited  by  red-men — -or,  at  least,  as  often  as  any  come 
near  him ;  and  they  are  said  ever  to  exhibit  a  great  reve 
rence  for  his  years,  and  respect  for  his  character." 

"  This  I  know  to  be  true,  for  I  have  frequently  seen  those 
who  have  come  to  pay  him  visits.  But  they  have  usually 
been  merely  your  basket-making,  half-and-half  sort  of  sa 
vages,  who  have  possessed  the  characteristics  of  neither 
race,  entirely.  This  is  the  first  instance  in  which  I  have 
heard  of  so  marked  a  demonstration  of  respect — how  is  that, 
dear  grandmother?  can  you  recall  any  other  instance  of 
Susquesus's  receiving  such  a  decided  mark  of  homage  from 
his  own  people  as  this  ?" 

*'  This  is  the  third  within  my  recollection,  Hugh.  Shortly 
after  my  marriage,  which  was  not  long  after  the  revolution, 
as  you  may  know,  there  was  a  party  here  on  a  visit  to  Sus- 
quesus.  It  remained  ten  days.  The  chiefs  it  contained 
were  said  to  be  Onondagoes  altogether,  or  warriors  of  his 
own  particular  people;  and  something  like  a  misunderstand 
ing  was  reported  to  have  been  made  up;  though  what  it  was, 
I  confess  I  was  too  thoughtless  then  to  inquire.  Both  my 
father-in-law,  and  my  uncle  Chainbearer,  it  was  always 
believed,  knew  the  whole  of  the  Trackless'  story,  though 
neither  ever  related  it  to  me.  I  do  not  believe  your  grand 
father  knew  it,"  added  the  venerable  speaker,  with  a  sort  of 
lender  regret,  "  or  I  think  I  should  have  heard  it.  But  that 
first  visit  was  soon  after  Susquesus  and  Jaaf  took  possession 
of  their  house,  and  it  was  reported,  at  the  time,  that  the 
strangers  remained  so  long,  in  the  hope  of  inducing  Sus  to 
rejoin  his  tribe.  If  such  was  their  wish,  however,  it  failed; 
for  there  he  is  now,  and  there  he  has  ever  been  since  ho 
first  went  to  the  hut." 
26* 


•N 


306  THE     REDSKINS. 

"And  the  second  visit,  grandmother  —  you  mentioned 
that  there  were  three." 

"  Oh  !  tell  us  of  them  all,  Mrs.  Littlepage,"  added  Mary 
earnestly,  blushing  up  to  the  eyes  the  moment  after  at  her 
own  eagerness.  My  dear  grandmother  smiled  benevo 
lently  on  both,  and  I  thought  she  looked  a  little  archly  at 
us,  as  old  ladies  sometimes  will,  when  the  images  of  their 
own  youth  recur  to  their  minds. 

"  You  appear  to  have  a  common  sympathy  in  these  red- 
men,  my  children,"  she  answered,  Mary  fairly  blushing 
scarlet  at  hearing  herself  thus  coupled  with  me  in  the  term 
4  children,' — "  and  I  have  great  pleasure  in  gratifying  your 
curiosity.  The  second  great  visit  that  Susquesus  received 
from  Indians  occurred  the  very  year  you  were  born,  Hugh, 
and  then  we  really  felt  afraid  we  might  lose  the  old  man  ; 
so  earnest  were  his  own  people  in  their  entreaties  that  he 
would  go  away  with  them.  But  he  would  not.  Here  he 
has  remained  ever  since,  and  a  few  weeks  ago  he  told  me 
that  here  he  should  die.  If  these  Indians  hope  to  prevail 
any  better,  I  am  sure  they  will  be  disappointed." 

"  So  he  told  my  father,  also,"  added  Mary  Warren,  "  who 
has  often  spoken  to  him  of  death,  and  has  hoped  to  open 
his  eyes  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel." 

"With  what  success,  Miss  Warren?  That  is  a  consum 
mation  which  would  terminate  the  old  man's  career  most 
worthily." 

"  With  little,  I  fear,"  answered  the  charming  girl,  in  a 
low,  melancholy  tone.  "At  least,  I  know  that  my  father 
has  been  disappointed.  Sus  listens  to  him  attentively,  but 
he  manifests  no  feeling  beyond  respect  for  the  speaker.  At 
tempts  have  been  made  to  induce  him  to  enter  the  church 
before,  but " 

"  You  were  about  to  add  something,  Miss  Warren,  which 
still  remains  to  be  said." 

"  I  can  add  it  for  her,"  resumed  my  grandmother,  "  for 
certain  I  am  that  Mary  Warren  will  never  add  it  herself. 
The  fact  is,  as  you  must  know,  Hugh,  from  your  own  obser 
nation,  that  Mr.  Warren's  predecessor  was  an  unfaithful  and 
selfish  servant  of  the  church — one  who  did  little  good  to 
any,  not  even  himself.  In  this  country  it  takes  a  good  deal 


THE     REDSKINS.  307 

in  a  clergyman,  to  wear  out  the  patience  of  a  people;  but  it 
can  be  done ;  and  when  they  once  get  to  look  at  him 
through  the  same  medium  as  that  with  which  other  men  are 
viewed,  a  reaction  follows,  under  which  he  is  certain  to  suf 
fer.  We  could  all  wish  to  throw  a  veil  over  the  conduct  of 
the  late  incumbent  of  St.  Andrew's,  but  it  requires  one  so 
much  thicker  and  larger  than  common,  that  the  task  is  not 
easy.  Mary  has  merely  meant  that  better  instruction,  and 
a  closer  attention  to  duty,  might  have  done  more  for  Track 
less  twenty  years  ago,  than  they  can  do  to-day." 

"  How  much  injury,  after  all,  faithless  ministers  can  do 
to  the  church  of  God !  One  such  bad  example  unsettles 
more  minds  than  twenty  good  examples  keep  steady." 

"  I  do  not  know  that,  Hugh ;  but  of  one  thing  1  am  cer 
tain — that  more  evil  is  done  by  pretending  to  struggle  for 
the  honour  of  the  church,  by  attempting  to  sustain  its  un 
worthy  ministers,  than  could  be  done  by  at  once  admitting 
their  offences,  m  cases  that  are  clear.  We  all  know  that 
the  ministers  of  the  altar  are  but  men,  and  as  such  are  to 
be  expected  to  fall — certain  to  do  so  without  Divine  aid — but 
if  we  cannot  make  its  ministers  pure,  we  ought  to  do  all  we 
can  to  keep  the  altar  itself  from  contamination." 

"  Yes,  yes,  grandmother— but  the  day  has  gone  by  for  ex 
officio  religion  in  the  American  branch  of  the  church" — here 
Mary  Warren  joined  the  other  girls — "  at  least.  And  it  is 
so  best.  Suspicions  may  be  base  and  unworthy,  but  a  blind 
credulity  is  contemptible.  If  I  see  a  chestnut  forming  on 
yonder  branch,  it  would  be  an  act  of  exceeding  folly  in  me 
to  suppose  that  the  tree  was  a  walnut,  though  all  the  nur 
sery-men  in  the  country  were  ready  to  swear  to  it." 

My  grandmother  smiled,  but  she  also  walked  away,  when 
I  joined  my  uncle  again. 

"  The  interpreter  tells  me,  Hugh,"  said  the  last,  "  thai 
the  chiefs  wish  to  pay  their  first  visit  to  the  hut  this  evening. 
Luckily,  the  old  farm-house  is  empty  just  now,  since  Miller 
has  taken  possession  of  the  new  one;  and  I  have  directed 
Mr.  Manytongues  to  establish  himself  there,  while  he  and 
his  party  remain  here.  There  is  a  kitchen,  all  ready  for 
their  use,  and  it  is  only  to  send  over  a  few  cooking  utensils, 
that  is  to  say,  a  pot  or  two,  and  fifty  bundles  of  straw,  to 
set  them  up  in  housekeeping.  For*all  this  I  have  just  given 


308  THE     REDSKINS. 

orders,  not  wishing  to  disturb  you,  or  possibly  unwilling  to 
lay  down  a  guardian's  authority  ;  and  there  is  the  straw 
already  loading  up  in  yonder  barn-yard.  In  half  an  hour 
they  may  rank  themselves  among  the  pot-wollopers  of  Ra- 
vensnest." 

"  Shall  we  go  with  them  to  the  house  before,  or  after  they 
have  paid  their  visit  to  Susquesus?" 

"  Before,  certainly.  John  has  volunteered  to  go  over  and 
let  the  Onondago  know  the  honour  that  is  intended  him,  and 
to  assist  him  in  making  his  toilet;  for  the  red- man  would 
not  like  to  be  taken  in  undress  any  more  than  another. 
While  this  is  doing,  we  can  instal  our  guests  in  their  new 
abode,  and  see  the  preparations  commenced  for  their  supper. 
As  for  the  llnjinsj  there  is  little  to  apprehend  from  them,  I 
fancy,  so  long  as  we  have  a  strong  party  of  the  real  Simon 
Pures  within  call." 

After  this,  we  invited  the  interpreter  to  lead  his  chiefs 
towards  the  dwelling  they  were  to  occupy,  preceding  the 
party  ourselves,  and  leaving  the  ladies  on  the  lawn.  At  that 
season,  the  days  were  at  the  longest,  and  it  would  be  plea- 
santer  to  pay  the  visit  to  the  hut  in  the  cool  of  the  evening 
than  to  go  at  an  earlier  hour.  My  grandmother  ordered 
her  covered  wagon  before  we  left  her,  intending  to  be  pre 
sent  at  an  interview  which  everybody  felt  must  be  most  inte 
resting. 

The  empty  building  which  was  thus  appropriated  to  the 
use  of  the  Indians  was  quite  a  century  old,  having  been 
erected  by  my  ancestor,  Herman  Mordaunt,  as  the  original 
farm-house  on  his  own  particular  farm.  For  a  Jong  time  it 
had  been  used  in  its  original  character ;  and  when  it  was 
found  convenient  to  erect  another,  in  a  more  eligible  spot, 
and  of  more  convenient  form,  this  old  structure  had  been 
preserved  as  a  relic,  and  from  year  to  year  its  removal  had 
been  talked  of,  but  not  effected.  It  remained,  therefore,  for 
me  to  decide  on  its  fate,  unless,  indeed,  the  l  spirit  of  the 
Institutions'  should  happen  to  get  hold  of  it,  and  take  its 
control  out  of  my  hands,  along  with  that  of  the  rest  of 
my  property,  by  way  of  demonstrating  to  mankind  how 
thoroughly  the  great  State  of  New  York  is  imbued  with  a 
love  of  rational  liberty  ! 

As  we  walked  towards  the  "  old  farm-house,"  Miller  came 


THE     REDSKINS.  309 

from  the  other  building  to  meet  us.  He  had  learned  that 
his  friends,  the  pedlars,  were  his — what  shall  I  call  myself? 
4  Master'  would  be  the  legal  term,  and  it  would  be  good 
English  ;  but  it  would  give  the  "  honourable  gentleman" 
and  his  friends  mortal  offence,  and  I  am  not  now  to  learn 
that  there  are  those  among  us  who  deny  facts  that  are  as 
plain  as  the  noses  on  their  faces,  and  who  fly  right  into  the 
face  of  the  law  whenever  it  is  convenient.  I  shall  not, 
however,  call  myself  a  "  boss"  to  please  even  these  eminent 
statesmen,  and  therefore  must  be  content  with  using  a  term 
that,  if  the  moving  spirits  of  the  day  can  prevail,  will  soon 
be  sufficiently  close  in  its  signification,  and  call  myself  Tom 
Miller's nothing. 

It  was  enough  to  see  that  Miller  was  a  good  deal  embar 
rassed  with  the  dilemma  in  which  he  was  placed.  For  a 
great  many  years  he  and  his  family  had  been  in  the  employ 
ment  of  me  and  mine,  receiving  ample  pay,  as  all  such  men 
ever  do — when  they  are  so  unfortunate  as  to  serve  a  malig 
nant  aristocrat — much  higher  pay  than  they  would  get  in 
the  service  of  your  Newcomes,  and  Holmeses,  and  Tubbses, 
besides  far  better  treatment  in  all  essentials  ;  and  now  he  had 
-only  to  carry  out  the  principles  of  the  anti-renters  to  claim 
the  farm  he  and  they  had  so  long  worked,  as  of  right.  Yes, 
the  same  principles  would  just  as  soon  give  this  hireling  my 
home  and  farm  as  it  would  give  any  tenant  on  my  estate 
that  which  he  worked.  It  is  true,  one  party  received  wages, 
while  the  other  paid  rent ;  but  these  facts  do  not  affect  the 
principle  at  all ;  since  he  who  received  the  wages  got  no 
other  benefit  from  his  toil,  while  he  who  paid  the  rent  was 
master  of  all  the  crops — I  beg  pardon,  the  boss  of  all  the 
crops.  The  common  title  of  both — if  any  title  at  all  exist — 
is  the  circumstance  that  each  had  expended  his  labour  on  a 
particular  farm,  and  consequently  had  a  right  to  own  it  for 
all  future  time. 

Miller  made  some  awkward  apologies  for  not  recognising 
me,  and  endeavoured  to  explain  away  one  or  two  little  things 
that  he  must  have  felt  put  him  in  rather  an  awkward  posi 
tion,  but  to  which  neither  my  uncle  nor  myself  attached  any 
moment.  We  knew  that  poor  Tom  was  human,  and  that 
the  easiest  of  all  transgressions  for  a  man  to  fall  into  were 
those  connected  with  his  self-love;  and  that  the  temptation. 


310  THE     REDSKINS. 

to  a  man  who  has  the  consciousness  of  not  being  anywhers 
near  the  summit  of  the  social  ladder,  is  a  strong  inducement 
to  err  when  he  thinks  there  is  a  chance  of  getting  up  a 
round  or  two;  failing  of  success  in  which,  it  requires  higher 
feelings,  and  perhaps  a  higher  station,  than  that  of  Tom 
Miller's,  not  to  leave  him  open  to  a  certain  demoniacal 
gratification  which  so  many  experience  at  the  prospect  of 
beholding  others  dragged  down  to  their  own  level.  We 
heard  Tom's  excuses  kindly,  but  did  not  commit  ourselves 
by  promises  or  declarations  of  any  sort. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"Two  hundred  years  !   two  hundred  years ! 
How  much  of  human  power  and  pride, 
What  glorious  hopes,  what  gloomy  fears, 
Have  sunk  beneath  their  noiseless  tide  !" 

PlEHPOSTT. 

IT  wanted  about  an  hour  to  sunset, — or  sun-down,  to  use 
our  common  Americanism — when  we  all  left  the  new  quar 
ters  of  our  red  brethren,  in  order  to  visit  the  huts.  As  the 
moment  approached,  it  was  easy  to  trace  in  the  Indians  the 
evidence  of  strong  interest;  mingled,  as  we  fancied,  with  a 
little  awe.  Several  of  the  chiefs  had  improved  the  interven 
ing  time,  to  retouch  the  wild  conceits  that  they  had  previ 
ously  painted  on  their  visages,  rendering  their  countenances 
still  more  appalling.  Flintyheart,  in  particular,  was  con 
spicuous  in  his  grim  embellishments  ;  though  Prairiefire  had 
not  laid  any  veil  between  the  eye  and  his  natural  hue. 

As  the  course  of  my  narrative  will  now  render  it  neces 
sary  to  relate  conversations  that  occurred  in  languages  and 
dialects  of  which  I  know  literally  nothing,  it  may  be  well  to 
say  hero,  once  for  all,  that  I  got  as  close  a  translation  of  every 
thing  that  passed,  as  it  was  possible  to  obtain,  from  Many- 
tongues  ;  and  wrote  it  all  down,  either  on  the  spot,  or  immedi 
ately  after  returning  to  the  Nest.  This  explanation  may  be  ne« 


THE     REDSKINS.  311 

cossary  in  order  to  prevent  some  of  those  who  may  read 
this  manuscript,  from  fancying  that  I  am  inventing. 

The  carriage  of  my  grandmother  had  left  the  door,  filled 
with  its  smiling  freight,  several  minutes  before  we  took  up 
our  line  of  march.  This  last,  however,  was  not  done  with 
out  a  little  ceremony,  and  some  attention  to  order.  As  In 
dians  rarely  march  except  in  what  is  called  "  Indian  file," 
or  singly,  each  man  following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  leader, 
such  was  the  mode  of  advancing  adopted  on  the  present  occa 
sion.  The  Prairiefire  led  the  line,  as  the  oldest  chief,  and 
the  one  most  distinguished  in  council.  Flintyheart  was 
second,  while  the  others  were  arranged  by  some  rule  of 
precedency  that  was  known  to  themselves.  As  soon  as  the 
line  had  formed,  it  commenced  its  march ;  my  uncle,  the 
interpreter,  and  myself  walking  at  the  side  of  Prairiefire, 
while  Miller,  followed  by  half-a-dozen  of  the  curious  from 
the  Nest  House  and  the  farm,  followed  in  the  rear. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  John  had  been  sent  to  the  hut 
to  announce  the  intended  visit.  His  stay  had  been  much 
longer  than  was  anticipated ;  but  when  the  procession  had 
gone  about  half  the  distance  it  was  to  march,  it  was  met  by 
this  faithful  domestic,  on  his  return.  The  worthy  fellow 
wheeled  into  line,  on  my  flank,  and  communicated  what  he 
had  to  say  while  keeping  up  with  the  column. 

"  To  own  the  truth,  Mr.  Hugh,"  he  said,  "  the  old  man 
was  more  moved  by  hearing  that  about  fifty  Indians  had 
come  a  long  distance  to  see  him — " 

"Seventeen — you  should  have  said  seventeen,  John;  that 
being  the  exact  number." 

"  Is  it,  sir?  Well,  I  declare  that  I  thought  there  might 
be  fifty — I  once  thought  of  calling  'em  forty,  sir,  but  it  then 
occurred  to  me  that  it  might  not  be  enough."  All  this  time 
John  was  looking  over  his  shoulder  to  count  the  grave-look 
ing  warriors  who  followed  in  a  line ;  and  satisfied  of  his 
mistake,  one  of  the  commonest  in  the  world  for  men  of  his 
class,  that  of  exaggeration,  he  resumed  his  report.  "  Well, 
sir,  I  do  believe  you  are  right,  and  I  have  been  a  little  hout. 
But  old  Sus  was  quite  moved,  sir,  when  I  told  him  of  the 
intended  visit,  and  so  I  stayed  to  help  the  old  gentleman  to 
dress  and  paint;  for  that  nigger,  Yop,  is  of  no  more  use 
now,  you  know,  sir,  than  if  he  had  never  lived  in  a  gentle* 


312  THE     REDSKINS. 

man's  family  at  all.  It  must  have  been  hawful  times,  sir 
when  the  gentry  of  York  had  nothing  but  niggers  to  serve 
?em,  sir." 

"  We  did  pretty  well,  John,  notwithstanding,"  unswered 
my  uncle,  who  had  a  strong  attachment  to  the  old  black 
race,  that  once  so  generally  filled  all  the  menial  stations  of 
the  country,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  all  gentlemen 
of  fifty  ;  "  we  did  pretty  well,  notwithstanding.  Jaaf,  how 
ever,  never  acted  strictly  as  a  body-servant,  though  he  was 
my  grandfather's  own  man." 

"  Well,  sir,  if  there  had  been  nobody  but  Yop  at  the  hut, 
Sus  would  never  have  been  decently  dressed  and  painted  for 
this  occasion.  As  it  is,  I  hope  that  you  will  be  satisfied, 
sir,  for  the  old  gentleman  looks  remarkably  well ; — Indian 
fashion,  you  know,  sir." 

"Did  the  Onondago  ask  any  questions?" 

"  Why,  you  know  how  it  is  with  him  in  that  particular, 
Mr.  Hugh.  He's  a  very  silent  person,  is  Susquesus  ;  most 
remarkable  so  when  he  'as  any  one  has  can  entertain  him 
with  conversation.  /  talked  most  of  the  time  myself,  sir, 
has  I  commonly  does  when  I  pays  him  a  wisit.  Indians  is 
remarkably  silent,  in  general,  I  believe,  sir." 

•  "  And  whose  idea  was  it  to  paint  and  dress — yours,  or 
theOnondago's?" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  supposes  the  hidear  to  be  Indian,  by  origin, 
though  in  this  case  it  was  my  surgestion.  Yes,  sir,  I 
surgested  the  thought;  though  I  will  not  take  it  on  myself 
to  say  Sus  had  not  some  hinclination  that  way,  even  before 
I  'inted  my  hopinion." 

"Did  you  think  of  the  paint?"  put  in  uncle  Ro.  "I  do 
not  remember  to  have  seen  the  Trackless  in  his  paint  these 
thirty  years.  I  once  asked  him  to  paint  and  dress  on  a 
Fourth  of  July  ;  it  was  about  the  time  you  were  born, 
Hugh — and  I  remember  the  old  fellow's  answer  as  well  as 
if  it  were  given  yesterday.  '  When  the  tree  ceases  to  bear 
fruit,'  was  the  substance  of  his  reply,  '  blossoms  only  remind 
the  observer  of  its  uselessness.'  ' 

"  1  have  heard  that  Susquesus  was  once  considered  very 
eloquent,  even  for  an  Indian." 

"  !  remember  him  to  have  had  some  such  reputation, 
though  I  will  not  answer  for  its  justice.  Occasionally,  I 


THE     REDSKINS.          ,  313 

have  heard  strong  expressions  in  his  brief,  clipping  manner 
of  speaking  English, — but,  in  common,  he  has  been  con 
tent  to  be  simple  and  taciturn.  I  remember  to  have  heard 
my  father  say  that  when  be  first  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Susquesus,  and  that  must  have  been  quite  sixty  years  since, 
the  old  man  had  great  apprehension  of  being  reduced  to 
the  mortifying  necessity  of  making  baskets  and  brooms ; 
but,  his  dread  on  that  subject  once  removed,  he  had  ever 
after  seemed  satisfied  and  without  care." 

"  Without  care  is  the  condition  of  those  who  have  least, 
1  believe,  sir.  It  would  not  be  an  easy  matter  for  the 
government  of  New  York  to  devise  ways  and  means  to 
deprive  Sus  of  his  farms,  either  by  instituting  suits  for  title, 
destroying  quarter-sales,  laying  taxes,  or  resorting  to  any 
other  of  the  ingenious  expedients  known  to  the  Albany 
politics." 

My  uncle  did  not  answer  for  quite  a  minute ;  when  he 
did,  it  was  thoughtfully  and  with  great  deliberation  of 
manner. 

"  Your  term  of  '  Albany  Polities'  has  recalled  to  my 
mind,"  he  said,  "  a  consideration  that  has  often  forced  itself 
upon  my  reflections.  There  is  doubtless  an  advantage- 
nay,  there  may  be  a  necessity  for  cutting  up  the  local  affairs 
of  this  country,  by  entrusting  their  management  to  so  many 
local  governments ;  but  there  is,  out  of  all  question,  one 
great  evil  consequent  on  it.  When  legislators  have  the 
great  affairs  of  state  on  their  hands,  the  making  of  war  and 
peace,  the  maintaining  of  armies,  and  the  control  of  all  those 
interests  which  connect  one  country  with  another,  the  mind 
gets  to  be  enlarged,  and  with  it  the  character  and  disposi 
tion  of  the  man.  But,  bring  men  together,  who  must  act, 
or  appear  incapable  of  acting,  and  set  them  at  work  upon 
the  smaller  concerns  of  legislation,  and  it's  ten  to  one  but 
they  betray  the  narrowness  of  their  education  by  the  nar 
rowness  of  their  views.  This  is  the  reason  of  the  vast  dif 
ference  that  every  intelligent  man  knows  to  exist  between 
Albany  and  Washington." 

"  Do  you  then  think  our  legislators  so  much  inferior  to 
those  of  Europe  ?" 

"  Only,  as  they  are  provincial ;  which  nine  in  ten  neces 
sarily  are,  since  nine  Americans  in  ten,  even  among  the 


314  THE     REDSKINS. 

educated  classes,  are  decidedly  provincial.  This  term  '  pro 
vincial'  covers  quite  one-half  of  the  distinctive  sins  of  the 
country,  though  many  laugh  at  a  deficiency,  of  which,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  they  can  have  no  notion,  as  purely 
a  matter  of  the  imagination.  The  active  communications 
of  the  Americans  certainly  render  them  surprisingly  little 
obnoxious  to  such  a  charge,  for  their  age  and  geographical 
position.  These  last  disadvantages  produce  effects,  never 
theless,  that  are  perhaps  unavoidable.  When  you  have  had 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  something  of  the  society  of  the 
towns,  for  instance,  after  your  intercourse  with  the  world  of 
Europe,  you  will  understand  what  I  mean,  for  it  is  a  dif 
ference  much  more  readily  felt  than  described.  Provin 
cialism,  however,  may  be  defined  as  a  general  tendency  to 
the  narrow  views  which  mark  a  contracted  association,  and 
an  ignorance  of  the  great  world — not  in  the  sense  of  sta 
tion  solely,  but  in  the  sense  of  liberality,  intelligence,  and  a 
knowledge  of  all  the  varied  interests  of  life.  But,  here  we 
are,  at  the  hut." 

There  we  were,  sure  enough.  The  evening-  was  delight 
ful.  Susquesus  had  seated  himself  on  a  stool,  on  the  green 
sward  that  extended  for  some  distance  around  the  door  of 
his  habitation,  and  where  he  was  a  little  in  shade,  protected 
from  the  strong  rays  of  a  setting,  but  June,  sun.  A  tree 
cast  its  shadow  over  his  person.  Jaaf  was  posted  on  one 
side,  as  no  doubt,  he  himself  thought  best  became  his  colour 
and  character.  It  is  another  trait  of  human  nature,  that 
while  the  negro  affects  a  great  contempt  and  aversion  for  the 
red-man,  the  Indian  feels  his  own  mental  superiority  to  the' 
domestic  slave.  I  had  never  seen  Susquesus  in  so  grand 
costume,  as  that  in  which  he  appeared  this  evening.  Ha 
bitually  he  wore  his  Indian  vestments;  the  leggings,  moca- 
sin,  breech-piece,  blanket  or  calico  shirt,  according  to  the 
season ;  but  I  had  never  before  seen  him  in  his  ornaments 
and  paint.  The  first  consisted  of  two  medals  which  bore 
the  images,  the  one  of  George  III,  the  other  of  his  grand 
father — of  two  more,  bestowed  by  the  agents  of  the  republic; 
of  large  rings  in  his  ears,  that  dropped  nearly  to  his  shoul 
ders,  and  of  bracelets  formed  of  the  teeth  of  some  animal, 
that,  at  first,  I  was  afraid  was  a  man.  A  tomahawk  that 
was  kept  as  bright  as  friction  could  make  it,  and  a  sheathed 


THE     RE    >SKINS.  315 

knife,  were  in  his  girdle,  while  his  well-tried  rifle  stood  lean 
ing  against  a  tree ;  weapons  that  were  now  exhibited  as 
emblems  of  the  past,  since  their  owner  could  scarcely  ren 
der  either  very  effective.  The  old  man  had  used  the  paint 
with  unusual  judgment  for  an  Indian,  merely  tinging  his 
cheeks  with  a  colour  that  served  to  give  brightness  to  eyes 
that  had  once  been  keen  as  intense  expression  could  render 
them,  but  which  were  now  somewhat  dimmed  by  age.  In 
other  respects,  nothing  was  changed  in  the  customary  neat 
simplicity  that  reigned  in  and  around  the  cabin,  though  Jaaf 
had  brought  out,  as  if  to  sun,  an  old  livery  coat  of  his  own, 
that  he  had  formerly  worn,  and  a  cocked  hat,  in  which  I 
have  been  told  he  was  wont  actually  to  exhibit  himself  of 
Sundays,  and  holidays ;  reminders  of  the  superiority  of  a 
"  nigger"  over  an  "  Injin." 

Three  or  four  rude  benches,  which  belonged  to  the  esta 
blishment  of  the  hut,  were  placed  at  a  short  distance  in  front, 
of  Susquesus,  in.  a  sort  of  semicircle,  for  the  reception  of 
his  guests.  Towards  these  benches,  then,  Prairiefire  led  the 
way,  followed  by  all  the  chiefs.  Although  they  soon  ranged 
themselves  in  the  circle,  not  one  took  his  seat  for  fully  a 
minute.  That  time  they  all  stood  gazing  intently,  but  reve 
rently,  towards  the  aged  man  before  them,  who  returned 
their  look,  as  steadily  and  intently  as  it  was  given.  Then, 
at  a  signal  from  their  leader,  who  on  this  occasion  was  Prai 
riefire,  every  man  seated  himself.  This  change  of  position, 
however,  did  not  cause  the  silence  to  be  broken ;  but  there 
they  all  sat,  for  quite  ten  minutes,  gazing  at  the  Upright 
Onondago,  who,  in  his  turn,  kept  hi-s  look  steadily  fastened 
on  his  visiters.  It  was  during  this  interval  of  silence  that 
the  carriage  of  my  grandmother  drove  up,  and  stopped  just 
without  the  circle  of  grave,  attentive  Indians,  not  one  of 
whom  even  turned  his  head  to  ascertain  who  or  what  caused 
the  interruption.  No  one  spoke ;  my  dear  grandmother 
being  a  profoundly  attentive  observer  of  the  scene,  while  all 
the  bright  faces  around  her,  were  so  many  eloquent  pictures 
of  curiosity,  blended  with  somo  gentler  and  better  feelings, 
exhibited  in  the  most  pleasing  form  of  which  humanity  is 
susceptible. 

At  length  Susquesus  himself  arose,  which  he  did  with 
great  dignity  of  manner,  and  without  any  visible  bodily 
• 


316  THE     REDSKINS. 

effort,  and  spoke.  His  voice  was  a  little  tremulous.  ] 
thought,  though  more  through  feeling  than  age;  but,  on  the 
whole,  he  was  calm,  and  surprisingly  connected  and  clear 
considering  his  great  age.  Of  course,  I  was  indebted  to 
Manytongues  for  the  interpretation  of  all  that  passed. 

"  Brethren,"  commenced  Susquesus,  "  you  are  welcome. 
You  have  travelled  on  a  long,  and  crooked,  and  thorny  path, 
to  find  an  old  chief,  whose  tribe  ought  ninety  summers  ago 
to  have  looked  upon  him  as  among  the  departed.  I  am 
sorry  no  better  sight  will  meet  your  eyes  at  the  end  of  so 
long  a  journey.  I  would  make  the  path  back  toward  the 
setting  sun  broader  and  straighler  if  I  knew  how.  But  I 
do  not  know  how.  I  am  old.  The  pine  in  the  woods  is 
scarce  older;  the  villages  of  the  pale-faces,  through  so 
many  of  which  you  have  journeyed,  are  not  half  so  old ; 
I  was  born  when  the  white  race  were  like  the  moose  on  the 
hills ;  here  and  there  one ;  now  they  are  like  the  pigeons 
after  they  have  hatched  their  young.  When  I  was  a  boy 
my  young  legs  could  never  run  out  of  the  woods  into  a 
clearing  ;  now,  my  old  legs  cannot  carry  me  into  the  woods, 
*hey  are  so  far  off.  Everything  is  changed  in  the  land, 
but  the  red-man's  heart.  That  is  like  the  rock  which  never 
alters.  My  children,  you  are  welcome." 

That  speech,  pronounced  in  the  deep  husky  tones  of  ex 
treme  old  age,  yet  relieved  by  the  fire  of  a  spirit  that  was 
smothered  rather  than  extinct,  produced  a  profound  impres 
sion.  A  low  murmur  of  admiration  passed  among  the 
guests,  though  neither  rose  to  answer,  until  a  sufficient  time 
had  seemed  to  pass,  in  which  the  wisdom  that  they  had  just 
been  listeners  to  might  make  its  proper  impression.  When 
this  pause  was  thought  to  be  sufficiently  long  to  have  pro 
duced  its  effect,  Prairiefire,  a  chief  more  celebrated  in  coun 
cil  even  than  in  the  field,  arose  to  answer.  His  speech, 
freely  translated,  was  in  the  following  words. 

"Father; — your  words  are  always  wise — they  are  al 
ways  true.  The  path  between  your  wigwam  and  our  vil 
lages  is  a  long  one — it  is  a  crooked  path,  and  many  thorns 
and  stones  have  been  found  on  it.  But  all  difficulties  may 
be  overcome.  Two  moons  ago,  we  were  at  one  end  of  it ; 
now  we  are  at  the  other  end.  We  have  come  with  two 
notches  on  our  sticks.  One  notch  told  us  to  go  to  the  Great 


THE     REDSKINS.  317 

Council  House  of  the  Pale-face,  to  see  our  gret,t  pale- face 
Father — the  other  notch  told  us  to  come  here,  to  see  our 
great  Red  Father.  We  have  been  to  the  great  Council 
House  of  the  ,Pale-faces ;  we  have  seen  Uncle  Sam.  His 
arm  is  very  long ;  it  reaches  from  the  salt  lake,  the  water 
of  which  we  tried  to  drink,  but  it  is  too  salt,  to  our  own 
lakes,  near  the  setting  sun,  of  which  the  water  is  sweet.  We 
never  tasted  water  that  was  salt  before,  and  we  do  not  find 
it  pleasant.  We  shall  never  taste  it  again  ;  it  is  not  worth 
while  to  come  so  far  to  drink  water  that  is  salt. 

"  Uncle  Sam  is  a  wise  chief.  He  has  many  counsellors. 
The  council  at  his  council-fire  must  be  a  great  council — it 
has  much  to  say.  Its  words  ought  to  have  some  good  in 
them,  they  are  so  many.  We  thought  of  our  Red  Father, 
while  listening  to  them,  and  wanted  to  come  here.  We 
have  come  here.  We  are  glad  to  find  our  Red  Father  still 
alive  and  well.  The  Great  Spirit  loves  a  just  Indian,  and 
takes  care  of  him.  A  hundred  winters,  in  his  eyes,  are  like 
a  single  winter.  We  are  thankful  to  him  for  having  led  us 
by  the  crooked  and  long  path,  at  the  end  of  which  we  have 
found  the  Trackless — the  Upright  of  the  Onondagoes.  I 
have  spoken." 

A  gleam  of  happiness  shot  into  the  swarthy  lineaments 
of  Susquesus,  as  he  heard,  in  his  own  language,  a  well- 
merited  appellation  that  had  not  greeted  his  ears  for  a  period 
as  long  as  the  ordinary  life  of  man.  It  was  a  title,  a  cog 
nomen  that  told  the  story  of  his  connection  with  his  tribe ; 
and  neither  years,  nor  distance,  nor  new  scenes,  nor  new 
ties,  nor  wars,  nor  strifes  had  caused  him  to  forget  the 
smallest  incident  connected  with  that  tale.  I  gazed  at  the 
olcf  man  with  awe,  as  his  countenance  became  illuminated 
by  the  flood  of  recollections  that  was  rushing  into  it,  through 
the  channel  of  his  memory,  and  the  expressive  glance  my 
uncle  threw  at  me,  said  how  much  he  was  impressed,  also. 
One  of  the  faculties  of  Manytongues  was  to  be  able  to  in 
terpret,  pari  passu  with  the  speaker  ;  and,  standing  between 
us  and  the  carriage,  he  kept  up,  sentence  by  sentence,  a  low 
accompaniment  of  each  speech,  so  that  none  of  us  lost  a 
syllable  of  what  was  said. 

As  soon  as  Prairiefire  resumed  his  seat,  another  silence 
succeeded.  It  lasted  several  minutes,  during  which  the  only 
27*  • 


318  THE     REDSKINS. 

audible  sounds  were  various  discontented  grunts,  accompa 
nied  by  suppressed  mutterings  on  the  part  of  old  Jaaf,  who 
never  could  tolerate  any  Indian  but  his  companion.  That 
the  negro  was  dissatisfied  with  this  extraordinary  visit  was 
sufficiently  apparent  to  us,  but  not  one  of  §11  the  red  men 
took  heed  of  his  deportment.  Sus,  who  was  nearest  to  him, 
must  have  heard  his  low  grumbling,  but  it  did  not  induce 
him  to  change  his  look  from  the  countenances  of  those  in 
his  front  for  a  single  moment.  On  the  other  hand,  the  visit- 
ers  themselves  seemed  totally  unconscious  of  the  negro's 
presence,  though  in  fact  they  were  not,  as  subsequently  ap 
peared.  In  a  word,  the  Upright  Onondago  was  the  centre 
of  attraction  for  them,  all  other  things  being  apparently  for 
gotten  for  the  time. 

At  length  there  was  a  slight  movement  among  the  red 
skins,  and  another  arose.  This  man  was  positively  the 
least  well-looking  of  the  whole  party.  His  stature  was  lower 
than  that  of  the  rest  of  the  Indians ;  his  form  was  meagre 
and  ungraceful — the  last,  at  least,  while  his  mind  was  in  a 
state  of  rest ;  and  his  appearance,  generally,  was  wanting 
in  that  nobleness  of  exterior  which  so  singularly  marked 
that  of  every  one  of  his  companions.  As  I  afterwards 
learned,  the  name  of  this  Indian  was  Eaglesflight,  being  so 
calfed  from  the  soaring  character  of  the  eloquence  in  which 
he  had  been  known  to  indulge.  On  the  present  occasion, 
though  his  manner  was  serious  and  his  countenance  inte 
rested,  the  spirit  within  was  not  heaving  with  any  of  its  ex 
traordinary  throes.  Still,  such  a  man  could  not  rise  to 
speak,  and  avoid  creating  some  slight  sensation  among  his 
expectant  auditors.  Guarded  as  are  the  red-men  in  gene 
ral  on  the  subject  of  betraying  their  emotions,  we  could 
detect  something  like  a  suppressed  movement  among  his 
friends  when  Eaglesflight  stood  erect.  The  orator  com 
menced  in  a  low  but  solemn  manner,  his  tones  changing 
from  the  deep,  impressive  guttural,  to  the  gentle  and  pa 
thetic,  in  a  way  to  constitute  eloquence  of  itself.  As  I 
listened,  I  fancied  that  never  before  did  the  human  voice 
seem  to  possess  so  much  winning  power.  The  utterance 
was  slow  and  impressive,  as  is  usually  the  case  with  true 
orators. 

"  The  Great  Spirit  makes  men  differently,"  commenced 


THE     REDS  KINS.  319 

Eaglesflighi.  "  Some  are  like  willows,  that  bend  with  the 
breeze  and  are  broken  in  the  storm.  Some  are  pines,  with 
slender  trunks,  few  branches,  and  a  soft  wood.  Now  and 
then  there  is  an  oak  among  them,  which  grows  on  the  prai 
rie,  stretching  its  branches  a  great  way,  and  making  a  plea 
sant  shade.  This  wood  is  hard  ;  it  lasts  a  long  time.  Why 
has  the  Great  Spirit  made  this  difference  in  trees  ?  —  why 
does  the  Great  Spirit  make  this  difference  in  men?  There 
is  a  reason  for  it.  He  knows  it,  though  we  may  not.  What 
he  does  is  always  right  1 

"  I  have  heard  orators  at  our  Council  Fires  complain  that 
things  should  be  as  they  are.  They  say  that  the  land,  and 
the  lakes,  and  the  rivers,  and  the  hunting-grounds,  belong 
to  the  red-man  only,  and  that  no  other  colour  ought  ever  to 
be  seen  there.  The  Great  Spirit  has  thought  otherwise,  and 
what  he  thinks  happens.  Men  are  of  many  colours.  Some 
are  red,  which  is  the  colour  of  my  father.  Some  are  pale, 
which  is  the  colour  of  my  friends.  Some  are  black,  which 
is  the  colour  of  my  father's  friend.  He  is  black,  though  old 
age  is  changing  his  skin.  All  this  is  right;  it  comes  from 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  we  must  not  complain. 

"  My  father  says  he  is  very  old  —  that  the  pine  in  the 
woods  is  scarce  older.  We  know  it.  That  is  one  reason 
why  we  have  come  so  far  to  see  him,  though  there  is  ano 
ther  reason.  My  father  knows  what  that  other  reason  is 
so  do  we.  For  a  hundred  winters  and  summers,  that  reason 
has  not  gone  out  of  our  minds.  The  old  men  have  told  it 
to  the  young  men ;  and  the  young  men,  when  they  have 
grown  older,  have  told  it  to  their  sons.  In  this  way  it  has 
reached  our  ears.  How  many  bad  Indians  have  lived  in 
that  time,  have  died,  and  are  forgotten  !  It  is  the  good  In 
dian  that  lives  longest  in  our  memories.  We  wish  to  forget 
that  the  wicked  ever  were  in  our  tribes.  We  never  forget 
the  good. 

"  I  have  seen  many  changes.  I  am  but  a  child,  cam- 
pared  with  my  father ;  but  I  feel  the  cold  of  sixty  winters 
in  my  bones.  During  all  that  time,  the  red-men  have  been 
travelling  towards  the  setting  sun.  I  sometimes  think  I 
shall  live  to  reach  it !  It  must  be  a  great  way  off,  but  the 
man  who  never  stops  goes  far.  Let  us  go  there,  pale-faces 
will  follow.  Why  all  this  is,  I  do  not  know.  My  father  is 


320  THE     REDSKINS. 

wiser  than  his  son,  and  he  may  be  able  to  tell  us.  I  sit 
•iown  to  hear  his  answer." 

Although  Eaglesflight  had  spoken  so  quietly,  and  con 
cluded  in  a  manner  so  different  from  what  I  had  expected, 
there  was  a  deep  interest  in  what  was  now  going  on.  The 
particular  reason  why  these  red-men  had  come  so  far  out 
of  their  way  to  visit  Susquesus  had  not  yet  been  revealed, 
as  we  all  hoped  would  be  the  case ;  but  the  profound  rever 
ence  that  these  strangers,  from  the  wilds  of  the  far  west, 
manifested  for  our  aged  friend,  gave  every  assurance  that 
when  we  did  learn  it,  there  would  be  no  reason  for  disap 
pointment.  As  usual,  a  pause  succeeded  the  brief  address 
of  the  last  speaker;  after  which,  Susquesus  once  more 
arose,  and  spoke. 

"  My  children,"  he  said,  "  I  am  very  old.  Fifty  autumns 
ago,  when  the  leaves  fell,  I  thought  it  was  time  for  me  to 
pass  on  to  the  Happy  Hunting-Grounds  of  my  people,  and 
be  a  redskin  again.  But  my  name  was  not  called.  I  have 
been  left  alone  here,  in  the  midst  of  the  pale-face  fields, 
and  houses,  and  villages,  without  a  single  being  of  my  own 
colour  and  race  to  speak  to.  My  head  was  almost  grown 
white.  Still,  as  years  came  on  my  head,  the  spirit  turned 
more  towards  my  youth.  I  began  to  forget  the  battles,  and 
hunts,  and  journeys  of  middle  life,  and  to  think  of  the 
things  seen  when  a  young  chief  among  the  Onondagoes. 
My  day  is  now  a  dream,  in  which  I  dream  of  the  past. 
Why  is  the  eye  of  Susquesus  so  far-seeing,  after  a  hundred 
winters  and  more?  Can  any  one  tell?  I  think  not.  We 
do  not  understand  the  Great  Spirit,  and  we  do  not  under 
stand  his  doings.  Here  I  am,  where  I  have  been  for  half 
my  days.  That  big  wigwam  is  the  wigwam  of  my  best 
friends.  Though  their  faces  are  pale,  and  mine  is  red,  our 
hearts  have  the  same  colour.  I  never  forget  them  —  no, 
not  one  of  them.  I  see  them  all,  from  the  oldest  to  the 
youngest.  They  seem  to  be  of  my  blood.  This  comes 
from  friendship,  and  many  kindnesses.  These  are  all  the 
pale-faces  I  now  see.  Red-men  stand  before  my  eyes  in 
all  other  places.  My  mind  is  with  them. 

"  My  children,  you  are  young.  Seventy  winters  are  a 
great  many  for  one  of  you.  It  is  not  so  with  me.  Why 
I  have  been  left  standing  alone  here,  near  the  hunting- 


THE     REDSKINS.  321 

grounds  of  our  fathers,  is  more  than  I  can  say.  So  it  is, 
and  it  is  right.  A  withered  hemlock  is  sometimes  seen, 
standing  by  itself,  in  the  fields  of  the  pale-faces.  I  am 
such  a  tree.  It  is  not  cut  down,  because  the  wood  is  of  no 
use,  and  even  the  squaws  do  not  like  it  to  cook  by.  When 
the  winds  blow,  they  seem  to  blow  around  it.  It  is  tired  of 
standing  there  alone,  but  it  cannot  fall.  That  tree  wishes 
for  the  axe,  but  no  man  puts  the  axe  to  its  root.  Its  time 
has  not  come.  So  it  is  with  me  —  my  time  has  not  come. 

"  Children,  my  days  now  are  dreams  of  my  tribe.  I  see 
the  wigwam  of  my  father.  It  was  the  best  in  the  village. 
He  was  a  chief,  and  venison  was  never  scarce  in*  his  lodge. 
I  see  him- come  off  the  war-path  with  many  scalps  on  his 
pole.  He  had  plenty  of  wampum,  and  wore  many  medals. 
The  scalps  on  his  pole  were  sometimes  from  red-men,  some 
times  from  pale-faces.  He  took  them  all  himself.  I  see  my 
mother,  too.  She  loved  me  as  the  she-bear  loves  her  cubs. 
I  had  brothers  and  sisters,  and  I  see  them,  too.  They 
laugh  and  play,  and  seem  happy.  There  is  the  spring 
where  we  dipped  up  water  in  our  gourds,  and  here  is  the 
hill  where  we  lay  waiting  for  the  warriors  to  come  in  from 
the  war-paths  and  the  hunt.  Everything  looks  pleasant  to 
me.  That  was  a  village  of  the  Onondagoes,  my  own  people, 
and  I  loved  them  a  hundred  and  twenty  winters  ago.  I  love 
them  now,  as  if  the  time  were  but  one  winter  and  one  sum 
mer.  The  mind  does  not  feel  time.  For  fifty  seasons  I 
thought  but  little  of  my  own  people.  My  thoughts  were  on 
the  hunt  and  the  war-path,  and  on  the  quarrels  of  the  pale 
faces,  with  whom  I  lived.  Now,  I  say  again,  I  think  most 
of  the  past,  and  of  my  young  days.  It  is  a  great  mystery 
why  we  can  see  things  that  are  so  far  off  so  plainly,  and 
cannot  see  things  that  are  so  near  by.  Still,  it  is  so. 

"  Children,  you  ask  why  the  red-men  keep  moving  to 
wards  the  setting  sun,  and  why  the  pale-faces  follow  ?  You 
ask  if  the  place  where  the  sun  sets  will  be  ever  reached,  and 
if  pale-men  will  go  there  to  plough  and  to  build,  and  to  cut 
down  the  trees.  He  that  has  seen  what  has  happened, 
ought  to  know  what  will  happen  again.  I  am  very  old,  but 
I  see  nothing  new.  One  day  is  like  another.  The  same 
fruits  come  each  summer,  and  the  winters  are  alike.  The 
bird  builds  in  the  same  tree  many  times. 


322  THE     REDSKINS. 

"  My  children,  I  have  lived  long  among  the  pale-faces. 
Still,  my  heart  is  of  the  same  colour  as  my  face.  I  have 
never  forgotten  that  I  am  a  red-man ;  never  forgotten  the 
Onondagoes.  When  I  was  young,  beautiful  woods  covered 
these  fields.  Far  and  near  the  buck  and  the  moose  leaped 
mong  the  trees.  Nothing  but  the  hunter  stopped  them.  It 
is  all  changed  !  The  plough  has  frightened  away  the  deer. 
The  moose  will  not  stay  near  the  sound  of  the  church-bell. 
He  does  not  know  what  it  means.  The  deer  goes  first. 
The  red-man  keeps  on  his  trail,  and  the  pale-face  is  never 
far  behind.  So  it  has  been  since  the  big  canoes  of  the 
stranger  first  came  into  our  waters  ;  so  it  will  be  until 
another  salt  lake  is  reached  beneath  the  setting  sun.  When 
that  other  lake  is  seen,  the  red-man  must  stop,  and  die  in 
the  open  fields,  where  rum,  and  'tobacco,  and  bread  are 
plenty,  or  march  on  into  the  great  salt  lake  of  the  west  and 
be  drowned.  Why  this  is  so  I  cannot  tell.  That  it  has  been 
so,  I  know ;  that  it  will  be  so,  I  believe.  There  is  a  rea 
son  for  it ;  none  can  tell  what  that  reason  is  but  the  Great 
Spirit." 

Susquesus  had  spoken  calmly  and  clearly,  and  Many- 
tongues  translated  as  he  proceeded,  sentence  by  sentence. 
So  profound  was  the  attention  of  the  savage  listeners  that  I 
heard  their  suppressed  breathings.  We  white  men  are  so 
occupied  with  ourselves,  and  our  own  passing  concerns,  look 
on  all  other  races  of  human  beings  as  so  much  our  inferiors, 
that  it  is  seldom  we  have  time  or  inclination  to  reflect  on  the 
consequences  of  our  own  acts.  Like  the  wheel  that  rolls 
along  the  highway,  however,  many  is  the  inferior  creature 
that  we  heedlessly  crush  in  our  path.  Thus  has  it  been  with 
the  red-man,  and,  as  the  Trackless  had  said,  thus  will  it 
continue  to  be.  He  will  be  driven  to  the  salt  lake  of  the  far 
west,  where  he  must  plunge  in  and  be  drowned,  or  turn  and 
die  in  the  midst  of  abundance. 

My  uncle  Ro  knew  more  of  the  Indians,  and  of  their  ha 
bits,  than  any  one  else  of  our  party,  unless  it  might  be  my 
grandmother.  She,  indeed,  had  seen  a  good  deal  of  them 
in  early  life;  and  when  quite  a  young  girl,  dwelling  with 
that  uncle  of  her  own  who  went  by  the  sobriquet  of  the 
"  Chainbearer,"  she  had  even  dwelt  in  the  woods,  near  the 
tribe  of  Susquesus,  and  had  often  heard  him  named  there 


THE     REDSnINS.  323 

as  an  Indian  in  high  repute,  although  he  was  even  at  that 
distant  day  an  exile  from  his  peop.e.  When  our  old  friend 
resumed  his  seat,  she  beckoned  her  son  and  myself  to  the 
side  of  the  carriage,  and  spoke  to  us  on  the  subject  of  what 
had  just  been  uttered,  the  translation  of  Manytongues  hav 
ing  been  loud  enough  to  let  the  whole  party  hear  what  he 
said. 

"  This  is  not  a  visit  of  business,  but  one  of  ceremony 
only,"  she  said.  : "  To-morrow,  probably,  the  real  object  of 
the  strangers  will  be  made  known.  All  that  has  passed,  as 
yet,  has  been  complimentary,  mixed  with  a  little  desire  to 
hear  the  wisdom  of  the  sage.  The  red-man  is  never  in  a 
hurry,  impatience  being  a  failing  that  he  is  apt  to  impute  to 
us  women.  Well,  though  we  are  females,  we  can  wait.  In 
the  mean  time,  some  of  us  can  weep,  as  you  see  is  particu- 
irly  the  case  with  Miss  Mary  Warren." 

This  was  "true  enough;  the  fine  eyes  of  all  four  of  the 
girls  glistening  with  tears,  while  the  cheeks  of  the  person 
named  were  quite  wet  with  those  that  had  streamed  down 
them.  At  this  allusion  to  such  an  excess  of  sympathy,  the 
young  lady  dried  her  eyes,  and  the  colour  heightened  so 
much  in  her  face,  that  I  thought  it  best  to  avert  my  looks. 
While  this  by-play  was  going  on,  Prairiefire  arose  again, 
and  concluded  the  proceedings  of  that  preliminary  visit,  by 
making  another  short  speech  : 

"  Father,"  he  said,  "  we  thank  you.  What  we  have  heard 
will  not  be  forgotten.  All  red-men  are  afraid  of  that  Great 
Salt  Lake,  under  the  setting  sun,  and  in  which  some  say  it 
dips  every  night.  What  you  have  told  us,  will  make  us 
think  more  of  it.  We  have  come  a  great  distance,  and  are 
tired.  We  will  now  go  to  our  wigwam,  and  eat,  and  sleep. 
To-morrow,  when  the  sun  is  up  here,"  pointing  to  a  part 
of  the  heavens  that  would  indicate  something  like  nine 
o'clock,  "  we  will  come  again,  and  open  our  ears.  The 
Great  Spirit  who  has  spared  you  so  long,  will  spare  you 
until  then,  and  we  shall  not  forget  to  come.  It  is  too  plea 
sant  to  us  to  be  near  you,  for  us  to  forget.  Farewell." 

The  Indians  now  rose  in  a  body,  and  stood  regarding 
Susquesus  fully  a  minute,  in  profound  silence,  when  they 
Aled  off  at  a  quick  pace,  and  followed  their  leader  towards 
their  quarters  for  the  night  As  the  train  noiselessly  wound 


324  THE     REDSKINS. 

its  way  from  before  him,  a  shade  passed  athwart  tho  darH 
countenance  of  the  Trackless,  and  he  smiled  no  more  thai 
day. 

All  this  time  the  negro,  the  contemporary  of  the  Indian, 
kept  muttering  his  discontent  at  seeing  so  many  redskins  in 
his  presence,  unheeded  and  indeed  unheard  by  his  friend. 

"  What  you  do  wid  dem  Injin,"  he  growled,  as  the  party 
disappeared.  "  No  good  ebbercome  of  sich  as  dem.  How 
many  time  dey  work  debbletry  in  a  wood,  and  you  and  I 
not  werry  far  off,  Sus.  How  ole  you  got,  redskin ;  and 
forgetful !  Nobody  can  hold  out  wid  colour'  man.  Gosh  I 
I  do  b'lieve  I  lib  for  ebber,  sometime  !  It  won'erful  to  think 
of,  how  long  I  stay  on  dis  werry  'arth !" 

Such  exclamations  were  not  uncommon  with  the  aged 
.Faaf,  and  no  one  noted  them.  He  did  not  seem  to  expect 
any  answer  himself,  nor  did  any  one  appear  to  deem  it  at 
all  necessary  to  make  one.  As  for  the  Trackless,  he  arose 
with  a  saddened  countenance,  and  moved  into  his  hut  like 
one  who  wished  to  be  left  alone  with  his  thoughts.  My 
grandmother  ordered  the  carriage  to  move  on,  and  the  resi 
of  us  returned  to  the  house  on  foot. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

"  With  all  thy  rural  echoes  come, 
Sweet  comrade  of  the  rosy  day, 
Wafting  the  wild  bee's  gentle  hum, 
Or  cuckoo's  plaintive  roundelay. 

CAMPBELL 

THAT  night  was  passed  under  my  own  roof,  in  the  family 
circle.  Although  my  presence  on  the  estate  was  now  gene 
rally  known,  to  all  who  were  interested  in  it,  I  cannot  say 
that  I  thought  much  of  the  anti-renters,  or  of  any  risks  in 
curred  by  the  discovery.  The  craven  spirit  manifested  by 
the  «  Injins'  in  presence  of  the  Indians,  the  assumed  before 
the  real,  had  not  a  tendency  to  awaken  much  respect  for  tho 
disaffected,  and  quite  likely  disposed  me"  to  be  more  indiffer- 


*• 


THE     REDSKINS.  325 

cut  to  their  proceedings,  than  I  might  otherwise  have  boeru 
At  all  events,  I  was  happy  with  Patt,  and  Mary,  and  my 
uncle's  wards,  and  did  not  give  the  disorganizers  a  thought, 
until  quite  at  the  close  of  the  evening.  The  manner  in  which 
John  went  about  to  barricade  the  doors  and  windows,  after 
the  ladies  had  retired,  struck  me  unpleasantly,  however,  and 
it  did  not  fail  to  produce  the  same  effect  on  my  uncle.  This 
seemingly  important  duty  was  done,  when  my  faithful  mat- 
tre-d'hotel,  for  such,  in  a  measure,  was  the  Englishman's 
station,  came  to  me,  and  my  uncle,  who  were  waiting  for 
his  appearance  in  the  library,  armed  like  Robinson  Crusoe. 
He  brought  us  each  a  revolving  pistol,  and  a  rifle,  with  a 
propo-r  allowance  of  ammunition. 

"  Missus,"  so  John  persevered  in  calling  my  grandmothei, 
though  it  was  very  unlike  an  English  servant  to  do  so,  after 
he  had  been  in  the  country  three  months — "  Missus  as  bor 
dered  harms  to  be  laid  in,  in  quantities,  Mr.  Hugh,  and 
hall  of  us  has  our  rifles  and  pistols,  just  like  these.  She 
keeps  some  for  herself  and  Miss  Martha,  in  her  own  room 
still,  but  as  she  supposes  you  can  make  better  use  of  these 
than  the  maids,  I  had  her  orders  to  bring  them  down  out  of 
the  maids'  room,  and  hpfFer  them  to  yourselves,  gentlemen. 
They  are  hall  loaded,  and  smart  weapons  be  they." 

"  Surely  there  has  been  no  occasion  as  yet,  for  using 
such  things  as  these !"  exclaimed  my  uncle. 

"  One  doesn't  know,  Mr.  Roger,  when  the  hinimy  may 
come.  We  have  had  only  three  alarms  since  the  ladies  ar 
rived,  and  most  luckily  no  blood  was  shed ;  though  we  fired 
at  the  hinimy,  and  the  hinimy  fired  at  us.  When  I  says 
no  blood  was  spilt,  I  should  add,  on  our  side ;  for  there  was 
no  way  to  know  how  much  the  anti's  suffered,  and  they 
hadn't  good  stone  walls  to  cover  them,  as  we  'ad  on  our  side." 

"  Gracious  Providence !  I  had  no  notion  of  this  !  Hugh, 
the  country  is  in  a  worse  state  than  I  had  supposed,  and 
we  ought  not  to  leave  the  ladies  here  an  hour  after  to 
morrow  !" 

As  the  ladies  who  came  within  my  uncle's  category,  did 
not  include  Mary  Warren,  I  did  not  take  exactly  the  same 
view  of  the  subject  as  he  did  himself.  Nothing  further  was 
said  on  the  subject,  however;  and  shortly  after  each  shoul 
dered  his  rifle,  and  retired  to  his  own  room. 
28 


326  THE     REDSKINS. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  I  reached  my  apartment,  hut 
I  felt  no  inclination  for  sleep.  That  had  been  an  important 
day  to  me,  one  full  of  excitement,  and  I  was  still  too  much 
under  the  influence  of  its  circumstances  to  think  of  my  bed. 
There  was  soon  a  profound  silence  in  the  house,  the  closing 
of  doors  and  the  sound  of  footsteps  having  ceased,  and  I  went 
to  a  window,  to  gaze  on  the  scene  without.  There  was  a 
three-quarters'  moon,  which  gave  light  enough  to  render  all 
the  nearer  objects  of  the  landscape  distinctly  visible.  Tho 
view  had  nothing  remarkable  in  it,  but  it  was  always  rural 
and  pretty.  The  little  river,  and  the  broad  meadows,  wore 
not  to  be  seen  from  my  side  of  the  house,  which  commanded 
the  carriage  road  that  wound  through  the  lawn — the  farm 
house — the  distant  church — the  neat  and  pretty  rectory — 
the  dwelling  of  Mary,  and  a  long  reach  of  farms,  that  lay 
along  the  valley,  and  on  the  broad  breast  of  the  rising 
ground  to  the  westward. 

Everything,  far  and  near,  seemed  buried  in  the  quiet  of 
deep  night.  Even  the  cattle  in  the  fields  had  lain  down  to 
sleep;  for,  like  man,  they* love  to  follow  the  law  of  nature, 
and  divide  the  hours  by  light  and  darkness.  John  had  placed 
the  candles-  in  my  dressing-room,  and  closed  the  inner  shut 
ters  ;  but  I  had  taken  a  seat  by  a  window  of  the  bed-room, 
and  sat  in  no  other  light  but  that  which  came  from  the  moon, 
which  was  now  near  setting.  I  might  have  been  ruminating 
on  the  events  of  the  day  half  an  hour  or  more,  when  I  fan 
cied  some  object  was  in  motion  on  a  path  that  led  towards 
the  village,  but  which  was  quite  distinct  from  the  ordinary 
highway.  This  path  was  private,  indeed,  running  fully  a 
mile  through  my  own  farm  and  grounds,  bounded  for  a  con- 
siderable  distance  by  high  fences  on  each  side  of  it,  and  run  - 
ning  among  the  copses  and  thickets  of  the  lawn,  as  soon  as 
it  emerged  from  the  fields.  It  had  been  made  in  order  to 
enable  my  grandfather  to  ride  to  his  fields,  uninterrupted  by 
gates  or  bars ;  and  issuing  into  the  bit  of  forest  already  de 
scribed,  it  passed  through  that  by  a  short  cut,  and  enabled 
us  to  reach  the  hamlet  by  a  road  that  saved  nearly  a  mile 
in  the  whole  distance.  This  path  was  often  used  by  those 
who  left  the  Nest,  or  who  came  to  it,  in  the  saddle,  but 
rarely  by  any  but  those  who  belonged  to  the  family.  Though 
old  as  the  place  itself,  it  was  little  known  by  others  not  suit 


THE     REDSKINS.  327 

ing  the  general  taste  for  publicity,  there  not  being  a  solitary 
dwelling  on  it  between  the  Nest  House  itself  and  the  point 
where  it  emerged  into  the  highway,  beyond  the  wood,  which 
was  quite  near  to  the  village. 

I  could  see  the  whole  line  of  this  private  path,  with  the 
exception,  here  and  thsre,  of  intervals  that  were  hid  by  trees 
and  thickets,  from  the  point  where  it  terminated  until  it  en 
tered  the  wood.  There  could  be  no  mistake.  Late  as  was 
the  hour,  some  one  mounted  was  galloping  along  that  path, 
winding  his  or  her  way  among  the  rails  of  the  fences ;  now 
plainly  visible,  then  lost  to  view.  I  had  caught  a  glimpse 
of  this  phantom,  (for  at  that  unusual  hour,  and  by  that  delu 
sive  light,  it  required  no  great  effort  of  the  imagination  thus 
to  fancy  the  equestrian,)  just  as  it  emerged  from  the  wood, 
and  could  not  well  be  mistaken  as  to  the  accuracy  of  my 
discovery.  The  path  led  through  a  pretty  wooded  ravine 
in  the  lawn,  and  no  sooner  did  I  lose  sight  of  this  strange 
object  than  I  turned  my  eyes  eagerly  to  the  spot  where  it 
ought  to  reappear,  on  emerging  from  its  cover. 

The  path  lay  in  shadow  for  twenty  rods  on  quitting  the 
ravine,  after  which  it  wound  across  the  lawn  to  the  door, 
for  about  twice  that  distance,  in  full  moonlight.  At  the  ter 
mination  of  the  shadow  there  was  a  noble  oak,  which  stood 
alone,  and  beneath  its  wide  branches  was  a  seat  much  fre 
quented  by  the  ladies  in  the  heats  of  summer.  My  eye  kept 
moving  from  this  point,  where  the  light  became  strong,  to 
that  where  the  path  issued  from  the  ravine.  At  the  latter 
it  was  just  possible  to  distingufsh  a  moving  object,  and,  sure 
enough,  there  I  got  my  next  view  of  the  person  I  was  watch 
ing.  The  horse  came  up  the  ascent  on  a  gallop  — a  pace 
that  was  continued  until  its  rider  drew  the  rein  beneath  the 
oak.  Here,  to  my  surprise,  a  female  sprang  from  the  sad 
dle  with  great  alacrity,  and  secured  her  steed  within  the 
shadow  of  the  tree.  This  was  no  sooner  done  than  she 
moved  on  towards  the  house,  in  much  apparent  haste.  Fear 
ful  of  disturbing  the  family,  I  now  left  my  room  on  tiptoe, 
and  without  a  candle,  the  light  of  the  moon  penetrating  the 
passages  in  sufficient  quantify  to  serve  my  purpose,  descend 
ing  as  fast  as  possible  to  the  lower  floor.  Swift  and  prompt 
as  had  been  rny  own  movement,  it  had  been  anticipated  by 
another.  To  my  great  surprise,  on  reaching  the  little  side- 


328  THE     REDSKINS. 

door  to  which  the  path  led,  and  where  the  ladies  had  long 
been  accustomed  to  get  into  the  saddle,  when  they  used  it, 
I  found  a  female  figure,  with  her  hand  on  the  massive  lock, 
as  if  ready  to  turn  its  key  at  some  expected  summons.  To 
my  great  astonishment,  on  drawing  nearer,  I  recognised,  by 
the  faint  light  that  penetrated  through  a  little  window  over 
the  door,  the  person  of  Mary  Warren ! 

I  certainly  started  at  this  unexpected  discovery,  but,  if  she 
who  caused  that  start  in  me  submitted  to  any  similar  emo 
tion,  I  did  not  discover  it.  She  may  have  heard  my  step, 
however,  descending  the  stairs,  and  have  been  prepared  for 
the  meeting. 

"  You  have  seen  her,  too,  have  you,  Mr.  Littlepage !" 
exclaimed  Mary,  though  she  used  the  precaution  to  speak  in 
a  suppressed  tone.  "  What  can  have  brought  her  here  at 
this  late  hour  ?" 

"  You  know  who  it  is,  then,  Miss  Warren  ?"  I  answered, 
feeling  an  indescribable  pleasure  succeed  my  surprise,  as  1 
remembered  the  dear  girl,  who  was  fully  dressed,  just  as 
she  had  left  the  drawing-room  an  hour  before,  must  have 
been  gazing  out  upon  the  moonlight  view  as  well  as  myself; 
a  species  of  romance  that  proved  something  like  a  similarity 
of  tastes,  if  not  a  secret  sympathy  between  us. 

"  Certainly,"  returned  Mary,  steadily.  *«  I  cannot  well 
be  mistaken  in  the  person,  I  think.  It  is  Opportunity  New- 
come." 

"  My  hand  was  on  the  key,  and  I  turned  it  in  the  lock. 
A  bar  remained,  and  this  I  also  removed,  when  we  opened 
the  door.  Sure  enough,  there  came  the  person  just  named, 
within  ten  feet  of  the  steps,  which  she  doubtless  intended  to 
ascend.  She  manifested  surprise  on  ascertaining  who  were 
her  porters,  but  hastened  into  the  house,  looking  anxiously 
behind  her,  as  if  distrustful  of  pursuit  or  observation.  I  led 
the  way  to  the  library,  lighted  its  lamp,  and  then  turned  to 
my  two  silent  companions,  looking  a  request  for  expla 
nation. 

Opportunity  was  a  young  woman,  in  her  twenty-sixth 
year,  and  was  not  without  considerable  personal  charms. 
The  exercise  and  excitement  through  which  she  had  just 
gone  had  heightened  thn  colour  in  her  chocks,  and  rendornr! 
her  appearance  unusually  pleasing.  Nevertheless,  Oppor 


THE     REDSKINS.  329 

tunity  was  not  a  woman  to  awaken  anything  like  the  pas 
sion  of  love  in  me,  though  I  had  long  been  aware  such  was 
her  purpose.  I  suspected  that  her  present  business  was 
connected  with  this  scheme,  I  will  own,  and  was  prepared 
to  listen  to  her  communication  with  distrust.  As  for  Oppor 
tunity  herself,  she  hesitated  about  making  her  disclosures. 
and  the  very  first  words  she  uttered  were  anything  but  deli. 
cate  or  feminine. 

"  Well,  I  declare !"  exclaimed  Opportunity,  "  I  did  not 
expect  to  find  you  two  alone  at  this  time  of  night !" 

I  could  have  given  her  tongue  a  twitch  to  cure  it  of  its 
propensity  to  speak  evil,  but  concern  for  Mary  Warren,  in 
duced  me  to  turn  anxiously  towards  her.  Never  did  the 
steady  self-possession  of  perfect  innocence  better  assert  itself 
than  in  the  dear  girl  at  this  rude  assault ;  the  innocence 
which  can  leave  no  latent  intention,  or  wish,  to  alarm  the 
feelings. 

"  We  had  all  retired,"  answered  the  pure-minded  girl, 
"  and  everybody  on  my  side  of  the  house  is  in  bed  and 
asleep,  I  believe  ;  but  I  did  not  feel  any  drowsiness,  and  was 
sitting  at  a  window,  looking  out  upon  the  view  by  this  lovely 
moonlight,  when  I  saw  you  ride  out  of  the  woods,  and  follow 
..he  lane.  As  you  came  up  to  the  oak  I  knew  who  it  was, 
Opportunity,  and  ran  down  to  admit  you  ;  for  I  was  certain 
something  extraordinary  must  bring  you  here  at  this  late 
hour." 

"  Oh  !  nothing  extraordinary,  at  all !"  cried  Miss  Oppor 
tunity,  in  a  careless  way.  "  I  love  moonlight  as  well  as 
yourself,  Mary,  and  am  a  desperate  horsewoman,  as  you 
know.  I  thought  it  would  be  romantic  to  gallop  over  to  the 
Nest,  and  go  back  between  one  and  two  in  the  morning. 
Nothing  more,  I  can  assure  you." 

The  coolness  with  which  this  was  said  amazed  me  not  a 
little,  though  I  was  not  so  silly  as  to  believe  a  syllable  of  it. 
Opportunity  had  a  great  deal  of  vulgar  sentimentalism 
about  her,  it  is  true  —  such  as  some  girls  are  apt  to  mistake 
for  refinement ;  but  she  was  not  quite  so  bad  as  to  travel 
that  lane,  at  midnight,  and  alone,  without  some  special 
object.  It  occurred  to  me  that  this  object  might  be  con 
nected  with  her  brother,  and  that  she  would  naturally  wish 
lo  make  her  communications  privitely.  We  had  all  taken 
28* 


330  THE     REDSKINS. 

seats  at  a  table  which  occupied  the  centre  of  the  room,  Mary 
and  myself  quite  near  each  other,  and  Opportunity  at  a  dis- 
tant  angle.  I  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper  a  short  request  for 
Mary  to  leave  me  alone  with  our  visiter,  and  laid  it  under 
her  eyes,  without  exciting  Opportunity's  suspicion ;  talking 
to  her,  the  whole  time,  about  the  night,  and  the  weather, 
and  her  ride.  While  we  were  thus  engaged,  Miss  Warren 
rose,  and  quietly  glided  out  of  the  room.  So  silently  was 
this  done,  that  I  do  net  believe  my  remaining  companion 
was  conscious  of  it  at  the  moment. 

"  You  have  driven  Mary  Warren  away,  Miss  Opportu 
nity,"  I  remarked,  "  by  the  hint  about  our  being  alone  to 
gether." 

"  Lord !  there's  no  great  harm  in  that !  I  am  used  to 
being  alone  with  gentlemen,  and  think  nothing  of  it.  But, 
are  we  really  alone,  Mr.  Hugh,  and  quite  by  ourselves?" 

"  Quite,  as  you  see.  Our  two  selves  and  Mary  Warren 
I  believe  to  be  the  only  persons  in  the  house,  out  of  our 
beds.  She  has  left  us,  a  little  hurt,  perhaps,  and  we  are 
quite  alone." 

"  Oh  !  .As  for  Mary  Warren's  feelings,  I  don't  mind 
them  much,  Mr.  Hugh.  She's  a  good  critter"  —  yes,  this 
elegant  young  lady  actually  used  that  extraordinary  word 
—  v»and  as  forgiving  as  religion.  Besides,  she's  only  the 
episcopal  clergyman's  daughter;  and,  take  your  family 
away,  that 's  a  denomination  that  would  not  stand  long  at 
Ravensnest,  I  can  tell-  you." 

"  I  am  very  glad,  then,  my  family  is  not  away,  for  it  is 
a  denomination  I  both  honour  and  love.  So  long  as  the 
grasping  and  innovating  spirit  of  the  times  leaves  the  Lit 
tlepa^es  anything,  a  fair  portion  of  their  means  shall  be 
given  to  support  that  congregation.  As  for  Miss  Warren, 
I  am  pleased  to  hear  that  her  temperament  is  so  forgiving." 

"I  know  that  well,  and  did  not  speak  in  the  hope  of 
making  any  change  in  your  views,  Mr.  Hugh.  Mary  War 
ren,  however,  will  not  think  much  of  my  remark  to-morrow, 
I  do  not  believe  she  thought  half  as  much  about  it  to-night 
as  I  should  have  done,  had  it  been  made  to  we." 

I  fancy  this  was  quite  true ;  Mary  Warren  having  lis 
tened  to  the  insinuation  as  the  guileless  and  innocent  hoar 
inrmendos  that  bring  no  consciousness  with  them,  while  Op- 


THE     REDSKINS.  331 

portunity's  spirit  would  have  been  very  apt  to  buckle  on  the 
armour  which  practice  had  rendered  well-fitting. 

"  You  have  not  taken  this  long  ride  merely  to  admire  the 
moon,  Miss  Opportunity,"  Lnow  carelessly  remarked,  will- 
ing  t&  bring;  things  to  a  head.  "If  you  would  favour  rne 
with  its  reafobject,  I  should  be  pleased  to  learn  it." 

"  What  if  Mary  should  be  standing  at  the  keyhole,  lis 
tening?"  said  this  elegant  'critter,'  with  the  suspicion  of  a 
vulgar  mind.  "  I  wouldn't  have  her  hear  what  I  've  got  to 
tell  you,  for  a  mint  of  money." 

"  I  do  not  think  there  is  much  danger  of  that,"  I  an 
swered,  rising  notwithstanding,  and  throwing  open  the  door. 
"  You  perceive  there  is  no  one  here,  and  we  can  converse 
in  safety." 

Opportunity  was  not  so  easily  satisfied.  Of  a  gossiping, 
craving  disposition  herself,  in  all  things  that  pertain  to  curi 
osity,  it  was  not  easy  for  her  to  imagine  another  could  be 
less  guided  by  that  feeling  than  herself.  Rising,  therefore, 
she  went  on  tiptoe  to  the  passage,  and  examined  it  for 
herself.  Satisfied,  at  length,  that  we  were  not  watched, 
she  returned  to  the  room,  closed  the  door  softly,  motioned 
for  me  to  be  seated,  placed  herself  quite  near  me,  and  then 
appeared  disposed  to  proceed  to  business. 

"  This  has  been  a  dreadful  day,  Mr.  Hugh,"  the  young 
woman  now  commenced,  actually  looking  sorrowful,  as  [ 
make  little  doubt  she  really  felt.  "  Who  could  have  thought 
that  the  street-musician  was  you,  and  that  old  German  ped 
lar  of  watches,  Mr.  Roger !  I  declare,  the  world  seems  to 
be  getting  upside-down, and  folks  don't  know  when  they're 
in  their  right  places?" 

"  It  was  a  foolish  adventure,  perhaps ;  but  it  has  let  us 
into  some  most  important  secrets." 

"That's  just  the  difficulty.  I  defend  you  all  I  can, 
and  tell  my  brothers  that  you  've  not  done  anything  they 
would  n't -do  in  a  minute,  if  only  half  a  farm  depended  on  it, 
while,  in  your  case,  it  may  be  more  than  a  hundred." 

"Your  brothers  then  complain  of  my  having  appeared 
among  the  anti-renters,  in  disguise?" 

"  They  do,  desperately,  Mr.  Hugh,  and  seem  quite  put 
out  about  it.  They  say  it  was  ungenerous  to  come  in  that 
Way  into  your  own  country,  and  steal  their  secrets  from 


332  THE     REDSKINS. 

them  !  I  say  all  I  can  in  your  favour,  but  words  wont  pass 
for  much  with  men  in  such  a  taking.  You  know,  Mr. 
Hugh,  I've  always  been  your  friend,  even  from  our  childish 
days,  having  got  myself  into  more  than  one  scrape  to  get 
you  out  of  them." 

As  Opportunity  made  this  declaration,  one  a  little  loose 
as  to  facts,  by  the  way,  she  sighed  gently,  dropped  her  eyes, 
and  looked  as  conscious  and  confused  as  I  believe  it  was  at 
all  in  her  nature  to  appear.  It  was  not  my  cue  to  betray  un 
due  bashfulness  at  such  a  moment,  and  as  for  any  scruples 
on  the  subject  of  misleading  a  confiding  heart,  I  should  as 
soon  have  thought  of  feeding  an  anaconda  or  a  boa  con 
strictor  with  angle-worms.  I  took  the  young  lady's  hand, 
therefore,  squeezed  it  with  as  sentimental  a  pressure  as  I 
knew  how  to  use,  and  looked  green  enough  about  the  eyes, 
I  dare  say. 

"  You  are  only  too  good,  Opportunity,"  I  answered 
"  Yes,  I  have  ever  relied  on  you  as  a  friend,  and  have  never 
doubted  you  would  defend  me,  when  I  was  not  present  to 
defend  myself." 

Here  I  released  the  hand,  a  little  apprehensive  I  might 
have  the  young  lady  sobbing  on  my  shoulder,  unless  some 
little  moderation  were  observed.  Opportunity  manifested  a 
reluctance  to  let  go  her  hold,  but  what  could  a  young  woman 
do,  when  the  gentleman  himself  exhibited  so  much  discre 
tion? 

"  Yes,  Seneky,  in  particular,  is  in  a  dreadful  taking,"  she 
resumed,  "  and  to  pacify  him,  I  consented  to  ride  over  my 
self,  at  this  time  of  night,  to  let  you  know  what  is  threat 
ened." 

"  That  is  most  kind  of  you',  Opportunity ;  and,  as  it  is  so 
xate,  had  you  not  better  tell  your  story  at  once,  and  then  go 
to  a  room  and  rest  yourself,  after  so  sharp  a  ride?" 

"  Tell  my  tale  I  will,  for  it 's  high  time  you  heard  it ;  but, 
as  for  rest,  I  must  jump  on  my  horse  and  gallop  back  the 
moment  the  moon  sets ;  sleep  I  must  in  my  own  bed  this 
night.  Of  course  you  and  Mary  Warren  will  both  be  silent 
as  to  my  visit,  since  it  has  been  made  for  your  good." 

I  promised  for  myself  and  Mary,  and  then  pressed  my 
companion  to  delay  no  longer  in  imparting  the  information 
she  had  ridden  so  far  to  bring.  The  story  was  soon  told 


THE     REDSKINS.  333 

and  proved  to  he  sufficiently  alarming.  One  portion  of  the 
facts  I  got  directly  from  Opportunity  herself,  while  another 
has  been  subsequently  gleaned  from  various  sources,  all 
being  certain.  '  The  particular  circumstances  were  these  : — 
When  Seneca  followed  the  band  of  "  Injins"  and  his  co- 
anti-renters,  in  their  precipitate  retreat  on  the  Camlet,  his 
revelations  produced  a  general  consternation.  It  then  be 
came  known  that  the  young  Paris  spendthrift  was  on  his 
own  estate,  that  he  had  actually  been  among  the  disaffected 
that  day,  had  learned  many  of  their  secrets,  and  had  proba 
bly  made  black  marks  against  certain  of  the  tenants,  whose 
leases  were  nearly  expired.  Bad  as  this  was,  of  itself,  it 
was  not  the  worst  of  the  matter.  Nothing  was  more  certain 
than  the  fact  that  this  young  landlord  knew  a  few  of  those 
who  had  committed  felony,  and  might  have  sundry  highly 
probable  suspicions  as  to  others.  The  guilty  lay  at  his 
mercy,  as  a  matter  of  course ;  and  there  was  a  sufficiency 
of  common  sense  left  among  these  conspirators,  to  under 
stand  thai  a  man,  who  must  feel  that  attempts  were  making 
to  rob  him  of  his  estate,  would  be  very  likely  to  turn  the 
tables  on  his  assailants,  did  an  occasion  offer.  When  men 
embark  in  an  undertaking  as  innately  nefarious  as  that  of 
anti-rentism  certainly  is,  when  it  is  stripped  of  its  pretensions 
and  stands  in- its  naked  deformity,  they  are  not  apt  to  stop 
at  trifles.  To  this  desperate  character  of  its  mischief,  the 
country  owes  the  general  depression  of  truth  that  has  ac 
companied  its  career,  its  false  and  dangerous  principles,  its 
confusion  between  right  and  wrong,  and  finally  its  murders. 
It  has  been  the  miserable  prerogative  of  demagogues  alone, 
to  defend  its  career  and  its  demoralization.  Thus  has  it  hap 
pened,  that  the  country  has  seen  the  same  quasi  legislators — 
legislators,  by  the  vote  of  a  party  and  the  courtesy  of  the 
country,  if  by  no  other  tenure — supporting,  with  an  air  of 
high  pretension,  the  very  doubtful  policy  of  attempting  to 
make  men  moral  by  statute  law,  on  the  one  side,  while 
they  go  the  full  length  of  these  property-depredators,  on  the 
other !  In  such  a  state  of  society,  it  is  not  surprising  thai 
any  expedient  should  be  adopted  to  intimidate  and  bully  me 
nto  silence.  It  was  consequently  determined,  in  a  conclave 
of  the  chiefs,  that  a  complaint  should  be  made  against  my 
uncle  and  myself,  before  an  anti-rent  justice  of  the  peace, 


334  THE    REDSKINS. 

for  felony  under  the  recent  statute,  in  appearing  "  diguised 
and  armed,"  as  a  means  of  preventing  our  complaints 
against  the  real  offenders.  It  is  true,  we  were  not  in  masks  • 
but  our  disguises,  nevertheless,  were  so  effectual  as  possibly 
to  meet  the  contingency  contemplated  by  the  law,  had  we 
been  armed.  As  to  weapons,  however,  we  had  been  totally 
and  intentionally  without  anything  of  the  sort ;  but  oaths 
cost  villains,  like  those  engaged  in  this  plot,  very  little. 
Those  oaths  had  been  taken,  and  warrants  were  actually 
signed  by  the  magistrate,  of  which  the  service  was  suspended 
at  Seneca's  solicitation,  merely  to  enable  the  last  to  effect 
a  compromise.  It  was  not  thought  sufficient,  however,  to 
menace  my  uncle  and  myself  with  a  prosecution  of  this 
nature;  intimidation  of  another  sort  was  to  be  put  in  requi 
sition,  to  enforce  the  dread  of  the  legal  proceedings ;  a  mea 
sure  which  should  let  us  see  that  our  assailants  were  in 
downright  earnest.  Opportunity  had  ascertained  that  some 
thing  serious  was  to  be  attempted,  and  she  believed  that  very 
night,  though  what  it  was  precisely  was  more  than  she  knew ; 
or,  knowing,  was  willing  to  communicate. 

The  object  of  this  late  visit,  then,  was  to  make  terms  for 
her  brother,  or  brothers ;  to  apprize  me  of  some  unknown 
but  pressing  danger,  and  to  obtain  all  that  influence  in  my 
breast  lhat  might  fairly  be  anticipated  from  services  so  ma 
terial.  Beyond  a  question,  I  was  fortunate  in  having  such 
a  friend  in  the  enemy's  camp,  though  past  experience  had 
taught  me  to  be  wary  how  I  trusted  my  miserable  and  sensi 
tive  heart  within  the  meshes  of  a  net  that  had  been  so  often 
cast. 

"  I  am  very  sensible  of  the  importance  of  your  services, 
Miss  Opportunity,"  I  said,  when  tho  voluble  young  lady  had 
told  her  tale,  "  and  shall  not  fail  to  bear  it  in  mind.  As  for 
making  any  direct  arrangement  with  your  brother  Seneca, 
that  is  out  of  the  question,  since  it  would  be  compromising 
felony,  and  subject  me  to  punishment ;  but  I  can  be  passive, 
if  I  see  fit,  and  your  wishes  will  have  great  weight  with  me. 
The  attempt  to  arrest  my  uncle  and  myself,  should  it  ever 
be  made,  will  only  subject  its  instigators  to  action  for  mali 
cious  prosecutions,,  and  gives  me  no  concern.  It  is  v  ,ry 
doubtful  how  far  we  were  disguised,  in  the  sense  of  the 
statute,  and  it  is  certain  we  were  not  armed,  in  any 


THE     REDSKINS.  335 

sense.  Without  perjury,  therefore,  such  a  prosecution  must 
fail » 

"  Folks  take  desperate  oaths  in  anti-rent  times !"  inter 
rupted  Opportunity,  with  a  significant  look. 

"  I  am  quite  aware  of  that.  Human  testimony,  at  the 
best,  is  very  frail,  and  often  to  be  distrusted  ;  but  in  seasons 
of  excitement,  arid  passion,  and  cupidity,  it  is  common  to 
find  it  corrupt.  The  most  material  thing,  at  present,  is  to 
know  precisely  the  nature  of  the  evil  they  meditate  against 
us." 

Opportunity's  eye  did  not  turn  away,  as  mine  was  fast 
ened  on  her  while  she  answered  this  question,  but  retained 
all  the  steadiness  of  sincerity. 

"  I  wish  I  could  tell  you,  Mr.  Hugh,"  she  said;  "  but  I 
can  say  no  more  than  I  have.  Some  injury  will  be  attempted 
this  night,  I  feel  certain ;  but  what  that  injury  will  be,  is 
more  than  I  know  myself.  I  must  now  go  home;  for  the 
moon  will  be  nearly  down,  and  it  would  never  do  for  me  to 
be  seen  by  any  of  the  antis.  The  little  1  have  said  in  favour 
of  the  Littlepages  has  made  me  enemies,  as  it  is  ;  but  I  never 
should  be  forgiven,  was  this  ride  to  be  known." 

Opportunity  now  rose,  and  smiling  on  me,  as  any  other 
rover  might  be  supposed  to  fire  a  parting  broadside,  in  order 
to  render  the  recollection  of  her  presence  as  memorable  as 
possible,  she  hurried  away.  I  accompanied  her  to  the  oak, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  assisted  her  into  her  saddle.  Sun 
dry  little  passages  of  country  coquetry  occurred  during  these 
movements,  and  the  young  lady  manifested  a  reluctance  to 
depart,  even  when  all  was  ready,  though  she  was  in  so  great  a 
hurry.  Her  game  was  certainly  as  desperate  as  that  of  the 
anti-renters  themselves,  but  it  was  a  game  she  was  deter 
mined  to  play  out.  The  moon  was  not  yet  quite  down,  and 
that  circumstance  served  as  a  pretence  for  delay,  while  I 
fancied  that  she  might  still  have  something  in  reserve  to 
communicate. 

"  This  has  been  so  kind  in  you,  dear  Opportunity,"  I 
said,  laying  my  hand  gently  on  the  one  of  hers  which  held 
the  bridle — "so  like  old  times — so  like  yourself,  indeed — 
that  I  scarce  know  how  to  thank  you.  But  we  shall  live  to 
have  old-fashioned  times  again,  when  the  former  communi- 
talions  can  be  opened  among  us.  Those  were  happy  days, 


336  THE     REDSKINS. 

when  we  all  went  galloping  over  the  hills  together ;  mere 
boys  and  girls,  it  is  true,  but  delighted  boys  and  girls  I  hope 
you  will  allow." 

"  That  they  was"  —  Opportunity's  education  and  graces 
did  not  extend  to  good  grammar,  in  her  ordinary  discourse, 
which  many  persons  among  us  seem  to  fancy  is  anti-repub 
lican — "  That  they  was  !  And  I  should  like'to  live  'em  over 
again.  Never  mind,  Hugh  ;  you  '11  live  to  put  down  these 
people,  and  then  you  '11  settle  and  marry.  You  mean  to 
marry,  of  course?" 

This  was  a  pretty  plain  demonstration  ;  but  I  was  used  to 
it,  as  what  young  man  of  fortune  is  not  ?  —  and  a  danger 
known  is  a  danger  avoided.  I  pressed  the  hand  I  held  gen 
tly,  relinquished  it,  and  then  observed,  in  a  sombwhat  dis 
appointed' tone — 

"  Well,  I  ought  not  to  ask  again,  what  is  the  particular 
injury  I  am  to  expect  to-night.  A  brother  is  nearer  than  a 
friend,  I  know ;  and  I  can  appreciate  your  difficulties." 

Opportunity  had  actually  given  the  spirited  beast  she 
rode  the  rein,  and  was  on  the  point  of  galloping  off,  when 
these  last  words  touched  her  heart.  Leaning  forward,  and 
oending  her  head  down,  so  as  to  bring  our  faces  within  a 
foot  of  each  other,  she  said,  in  a  low  voice — 

"  Fire  is  a  good  servant,  but  a  hard  master.  A  tea-kettle 
of  water  thrown  on  it,  at  first,  would  have  put  out  the  last 
great  conflagration  in  York." 

These  words  were  no  sooner  uttered  than  the  bold  young 
woman  struck  her  horse  a  smart  blow,  and  away  she  went 
galloping  over  the  turf  with  an  almost  noiseless  hoof.  I 
watched  her  for  a  moment,  and  saw  her  descend  into  the 
ravine  ;  when,  left  quite  alone,  there  was  abundant  opportu 
nity  for  reflection,  though  no  longer  any  Opportunity  to 
look  at. 

"  Fire  !" — That  was  an  ominous  word.  It  is  the  instru 
ment  of  the  low  villain,  and  is  an  injury  against  which  it  is 
difficult,  indeed,  to  guard.  It  had  been  used  in  these  anti-rent 
troubles,  though  less,  perhaps,  than  would  have  been  the 
case  in  almost  any  other  country;  the  institutions  of  this, 
even  if  they  have  introduced  so  many  false  and  exaggerated 
notions  of  liberty,  having  had  a  most  beneficial  effect  in 
cssening  some  of  the  other  evils  of  humanity.  Still,  fire 


.         THE     REDSKINS.  8,'}7 

had  been  resorted  to,  and  the  term  of  *  barn-burner'  had  got 
to  be  common  among  us;  far  more  common,  I  rejoice  to 
say,  than  the  practice  which  gave  it  birth.  Nevertheless, 
it  was  clearly  of  the  last  importance  to  certain  persons  at 
Ravensnest  to  frighten  me  from  complaining,  since  their 
crimes  could  only  lead  them  to  the  State's  prison,  were  jus 
tice  done.  I  determined,  therefore,  not  to  lay  my  head  on 
a  pillow  that  night,  until  assured  that  the  danger  was  past. 

The  moon  had  now  set,  but  the  stars  shed  their  twinkling 
rays  on  the  dusky  landscape.  I  was  not  sorry  for  the 
change,  as  it  enabled  me  to  move  about  with  less  risk  of 
being  seen.  The  first  thing  was  to  seek  some  auxiliaries  to 
aid  me  in  watching,  and  I  at  once  decided  to  look  for  them 
among  my  guests,  the  Indians.  If  "  fire  will  fight  fire," 
'  Indian'  ought  to  be  a  match  for  « Injin'  any  day.  There 
is  just  the  difference  between  these  two  classes  of  men,  that 
their  names  would  imply.  The  one  is  natural,  dignified, 
polished  in  his  way — nay,  gentleman-like ;  while  the  other 
is  a  sneaking  scoundrel,  and  as  vulgar  as  his  own  appella 
tion.  No  one  would  think  of  calling  these  last  masquerad 
ing  rogues  "  Indians ;"  by  common  consent,  even  the  most 
particular  purist  in  language  terms  them  "  Injins."  "  II  y  a 
chapeau  et  ckapeau"  and  there  are  "  Indian  and  Injin." 

Without  returning  to  the  house,  I  took  my  way  at  once 
towards  the  quarters  of  my  red  guests.  Familiar  with  every 
object  around  me,  I  kept  so  much  within  the  shadows,  and 
moved  across  the  lawn  and  fields  by  a  route  so  hidden,  that 
there  was  not  much  risk  of  my  being  seen,  even  had  there 
been  enemies  on  the  look-out.  The  distance  was  not  great, 
and  I  soon  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  little  knoll  on  which  the 
old  farm-house  stood,  sheltered  in  a  manner  by  a  dark  row 
of  aged  currants,  which  lined  the  bottom  of  an  old  and  half- 
deserted  garden.  Here  I  paused  to  look  about  me,  and  to 
reflect  a  moment,  before  I  proceeded  any  further. 

There  stood  the  good,  old,  substantial  residence  of  my 
fathers,  in  shadowy  outline,  looming  large  and  massive  in  its 
form  and  aspect.  It  might  be  fired,  certainly,  but  not  with 
much  facility,  on  its  exterior.  With  the  exception  of  its 
roof,  its  piazza,  and  its  outside-doors,  little  wood  was  exposed 
to  an  incendiary  without;  and  a  slight  degree  of  watchful 
ness  might  suffice  against  such  a  danger.  Then  the  law 
29 


338  THE     REDSKINS.        . 

punished  arson  of  an  inhabited  dwelling  with  death,  as  it 
should  do,  and  your  sneaking  scoundrels  seldom  brave  such 
a  penalty  in  this  country.  Much  is  said  about  the  impo- 
tency  of  the  punishment  of  the  gallows,  but  no  man  can  tell 
how  many  thousand  times  it  has  stayed  the  hand  and  caused 
the  heart  to  quail.  Until  some  one  can  appear  among  us, 
who  is  able  to  reveal  this  important  secret,  it  is  idle  to  talk 
about  the  few  cases  in  which  it  is  known  that  the  risk  of 
death  has  been  insufficient  to  prevent  crime.  One  thing  we 
all  know  ;  other  punishments  exist,  and  crime  is  perpetrated 
directly  in  their  face,  daily  and  hourly;  and  I  cannot  see 
why  such  a  circumstance  should  not  be  just  as  much  of  an 
argument  against  the  punishment  of  the  penitentiary,  as 
against  punishment  by  the  gallows.  For  one,  I  am  clearly 
for  keeping  in  existence  the  knowledge  that  there  is  a  power 
in  the  country,  potent  to  sweep  away  the  offender,  when 
cases  of  sufficient  gravity  occur  to  render  the  warning 
wholesome. 


CHAPTEE  XXII. 

"  0,  time  and  death !  with  certain  pace, 

Though  still  unequal,  hurrying  on, 

O'erturning,  in  your  awful  race, 

The  cot,  the  palace,  and  the  throne  ! 
«  Not  always  in  the  storm  of  war, 

Nor  by  the  pestilence  that  sweeps 

From  the  plague-smitten  realms  afar, 

Beyond  the  old  and  solemn  deeps." 

SAITDS. 

BESIDES  the  house  with  its  walls  of  stone,  however,  there 
were  numerous  out-buildings.  The  carriage-house,  stables, 
and  home-barn,  were  all  of  stone  also ;  but  a  brand  thrown 
into  a  haymow  would  easily  produce  a  conflagration. 
The  barns,  hay-ricks,  &c.,  on  the  flats,  and  near  the  dwell 
ing  of  Miller,  were  all  of  wood,  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  country,  and  it  was  not  death  to  set  fire  to  a  barn.  The 


THE     REDSKINS.  339 

disguised  and  armed'  who  should  commit  this  last  offence, 
would  incur  no  other  risk  than  that  which  had  already  been 
ncurred  in  carrying  out  his  desperate  plans.  I  thought  of 
hese  things  for  a  moment,  when  I  opened  a  passage  through 
the  currant-bushes,  intending  to  pass  by  a  breach  in  the  de 
cayed  fence  into  the  garden,  and  thus  by  a  private  way  to 
the  house.  To  my  astonishment,  and  in  a  slight  degree  to 
my  alarm,  a  man  stood  before  me  the  instant  I  emerged 
from  the  thicket. 

"  Who  be — where  go — what  want?"  demanded  one  of  the 
real  red-skins,  significantly ;  this  being  a  sentinel  of  the 
party  whose  vigilance  even  my  guarded  approach  had  not 
eluded. 

I  told  him  who  I  was,  and  that  I  came  to  seek  the  inter 
preter,  Manytongues.  No  sooner  was  I  recognised,  than  my 
red  friend  offered  me  his  hand  to  shake,  American  fashion, 
and  seemed  satisfied.  He  asked  no  question,  manifested  no 
curiosity  at  this  visit  at  an  hour  so  unusual,  and  took  it  all 
as  one  in  ordinary  life  would  receive  a  call  in  a  morning 
between  the  permitted  hours  of  twelve  and  three.  Something 
had  brought  me  there,  he  must  have  known ;  but,  what  that 
something  was  appeared  to  give  him  no  concern.  This  man 
accompanied  me  to  the  house,  and  pointed  to  the  spot  where 
I  should  find  the  person  I  sought,  snoring  on  his  well-shaken 
bundles  of  straw. 

At  the  first  touch  of  my  finger,  Manytongues  awoke,  and 
stood  erect.  He  recognised  me  in  an  instant,  dark  as  was 
the  room,  and  touching  my  arm  as  a  signal  to  follow,  led 
the  way  into  the  open  air.  After  moving  out  of  ear-shot,  he 
stopped  and  proceeded  to  business  himself,  like  one  accus 
tomed  to  such  interruptions. 

"Anything  stirring  to-night?"  demanded  this  frontier- 
man,  with  the  coolness  of  one  who  was  ever  ready.  "  Am 
I  to  call  my  red-skins  ;  or  is  it  only  a  notice  that  is  to  be 
given  ?" 

"  Of  that  you  shall  judge  for  yourself.  You  doubtless 
know  the  condition  of  this  part  of  the  country,  and  the  trou 
bles  that  exist  on  the  subject  of  the  rents  paid  for  the  use  of 
the  farms.  What  you  saw  to-day  is  a  specimen  of  the 
scenes  that  are  now  constantly  acted  among  us." 

"  Colonel,  I  can't  say  I  do  rightly  understand  the  state  o' 


340  THE     REDSKINS. 

things  down  here-a-way,"  drawled  out  the  interpreter,  aftei 
yawning  like  a  hound,  and  giving  me  the  most  favourite  title 
of  the  frontiers.  "  It  seems  to  be  neither  one  thing1  nor 
t'other;  nuther  tomahawk  nor  law.  I  can  understand  both 
of  them,  but  this  half-and-half  sort  of  thing  bothers  me,  and 
puts  me  out.  You  ought  to  have  law,  or  you  hadn't  ought ; 
but  what  you  have  should  be  stuck  to." 

"  You  mean  that  you  do  not  find  this  part  of  the  country 
either  civilized  or  savage.  Not  submitting  to  the  laws,  nor 
yet  permitting  the  natural  appeal  to  force?" 

"Something1  of  that  sort.  The  agent  told  me,  when  I 
came  on  with  this  party  of  red-skins,  that  I  was  comin' down 
into  a  quarter  of  the  country  where  there  was  justices  of  the 
peace,  and  that  no  man,  red  or  pale,  could  or  should  right 
himself.  So  we've  all  on  us  indivour'd  to  go  by  that  rule; 
and  I  can  qualify  that  not  a  critter  has  been  shot  or  scalped 
since  we  crossed  the  Mississippi.  Some  sich  law  was  neces 
sary  among;  us,  as  we  came  from  different  and  hostile  tribes, 
and  nothing  would  be  easier  than  to  breed  a  quarrel  among 
ourselves,  if  a  body  was  so  disposed.  But,  I  must  say,  that 
I'm  not  only  disapp'inted  myself,  but  most  of  my  chiefs  be 
dreadfully  disapp'inted  likewise." 

"  In  what  particular  have  you  been  most  disappointed  ?" 

"  In  many  matters.  The  first  thing  that  set  me  a-think- 
in'  was  to  hear  folks  read  them  newspapers.  The  way  men 
talk  of  each  other,  in  them  things,  is  wonderful,  and  to  me 
it's  a  surprise  any's  left,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  to  begin  the 
same  game  the  next.  Why,  Colonel  Littlepage — " 

"  I  am  no  colonel — not  even  an  ensign — you  must  be 
confounding  me  with  some  other  of  my  family." 

"  You  ought  to  be,  sir,  and  I  shall  not  do  you  the  injus 
tice  to  call  you  by  any  lower  title.  I've  known  gentlemen 
of  not  one-quarter  your  pretensions  tarmed  gin'rals,  out 
West.  I've  hunted  on  the  prer-ies  these  twenty-five  years, 
and  have  now  crossed  the  Upper  Lakes  six  times,  and  know 
what  is  due  to  a  gentleman  as  well  as  any  man.  And  so, 
as  I  was  sayin',  Colonel  Littlepage,  was  men  to  talk  of  each 
other  out  on  the  prer-ies  as  they  print  of  each  other  down 
here  among  the  meetin-'uses,  scalps  would  be  so  plenty  as 
to  fall  considerable  in  valie.  I'm  not  at  all  spiteful,  but  my 
reelin's  has  been  r'iled  at  only  just  hearing  'em  things  read, 


THE     REDSKINS.  341 

for,  as  for  reading  myself,  that's  a  thing  I  never  conde* 
scended  to.  This  somewhat  prepared  me  for  findin'  things 
different  as  I  got  deeper  into  the  settlements,  and  I've  not 
been  disapp'inted  so  far  as  them  expectations  went — it's  the 
old  idee  that's  been  crossed." 

"  I  am  not  astonished  to  hear  this,  and  agree  with  you 
entirely  in  thinking  that  the  nations  which  can  withstand  a 
press  of  which  the  general  character  is  as  degraded  as  that 
of  this  country,  must  be  composed  of  beings  of  a  highrr 
order  than  man.  But,  to  come  to  business;  you  must  have 
some  notions  of  these  mock  savages,  and  of  the  people  called 
anti-renters'?" 

"  Sort  o',  and  sort  o'  not.  I  can't  understand  when  a 
man  has  agreed  to  pay  rent,  why  he  should  not  pay  it.  A 
bargain  is  a  bargain,  and  the  word  of  a  gentleman  is  as 
good  as  his  bond." 

"  These  opinions  would  surprise  some  among  us,  a  few 
legislators  included.  They  appear  to  think  that  the  moral 
test  of  every  engagement  is  whether  the  parlies  like  it  or 
not." 

"  One  word,  if  you  please,  Colonel.  Do  they  give  in  as 
much  to  complaints  of  the  owners  of  the  sile  as  to  the  com 
plaints  of  them  that  hire  the  land  in  order  to  work  it?" 

"Not  at  all.  The  complaints  of  the  landlords  would  not 
find  a  single  sympathetic  chord  in  the  breast  of  the  softest 
nearted  politician  in  America,  let  them  be  ever  so  well- 
founded.  Surely,  you,  who  are  a  rover  on  the  prairies,  can 
have  no  great  respect  for  land  titles  ?" 

"  The  prer-ie  is  the  prer-ie,  Colonel,  and  men  live  and 
act  by  prer-ie  law  on  prer-ie  ground.  But  right  is  right,  too, 
Colonel,  as  well  as  prer-ie  is  prer-ie;  and  I  like  to  see  it 
per\ail.  I  do  not  think  you  will  find  a  red-skin  among  all 
the  chiefs  who  are  asleep  under  that  roof  who  will  not  give 
his  voice  ag  in  flying  from  the  tarms  of  a  solemn  bargain. 
A  man  must  be  well  steeped  in  the  ways  of  the  law,  I 
should  judge,  to  bring  his  mind  to  such  an  act." 

"  Do  these  red-men,  then,  know  anything  of  the  nature 
of  the  difficulties  that  exist  here?" 

"  They  have  heard  on  'em,  and  have  talked  a  good  deal 
together  on  the  subject.  It's  opposite  to  the  very  natur'  of 
an  Indian,  like,  to  agree  to  one  thing,  and  to  do  another, 
29* 


342  THE     REDSKINS. 

But,  here  is  a  Chippewa,  who  is  on  the  look-out.  I  will  ash 
him  a  question,  and  you  shall  hear  his  answer." 

Many  tongues  now  spoke  to  the  sentinel,  who  was  saunter 
ing  near.  After  a  brief  exchange  of  questions  and  answera 
in  the  tongue  of  the  latter,  the  interpreter  communicated  what 
had  passed. 

"  This  Chippewa  has  heard  somewhere,"  he  said,  "  that 
there  are  folks  in  this  part  of  the  world  who  get  into  wig- 
warns,  by  agreeing  to  pay  rent  for  them,  and,  when  once  in 
possession,  they  want  to  fly  from  their  agreements,  and 
make  the  man  they  got  it  from  prove  his  right  to  it.  Is  that 
true,  Colonel  ?" 

"  It  is  true,  out  of  all  question,  and  not  only  do  the  tenants 
wish  to  enact  this  treachery,  but  they  have  found  others, 
that  call  themselves  legislators,  wKo  are  willing  to  sustain 
them  in  the  fraud.  It  is  much  as  if  you  should  -borrow,  or 
hire  a  rifle  for  a  day's  sporting,  and  when  the  man  who  let 
you  have  it,  came  to  claim  it  at  night,  you  should  tell  him 
to  prove  he  was  the  right  owner." 

"  What's  that  to  me?  I  got  the  rifle  of  him  ;  have  no  right 
but  such  as  he  had  ;  and  am  bound  to  stand  by  my  bargain. 
No.  no.  Colonel ;  not  a  redskin  on  the  prer-ies  but  would 
revolutionize  at  that !  But,  what  may  have  brought  you 
here,  at  this  time  o'  night?  Them  that  sleep  in  beds,  don't 
like  to  quit  them  'till  mornin'  comes  to  tell  'em  to  rise." 

I  then  gave  Manytongues  an  account  of  the  visit  I  had 
received,  without  mentioning  the  name  of  Opportunity,  how 
ever,  and  related  the  nature  of  the  warning  I  had  heard. 
The  interpreter  was,  in  no  wise,  disturbed  at  this  prospect 
of  a  collision  with  the  Injins,  against  whom  he  had  a  grudge, 
not  only  on  account  of  the  little  affair  of  the  preceding  day, 
but  mainly  in  consequence  of  their  having  brought  real 
savages  into  discredit,  by  the  craven  and  clumsy  manner  in 
which  they  had  carried  out  their  imitation. 

"  Nothin'  better  is  to  be  expected  from  such  critturs,"  he 
observed,  after  we  had  discussed  the  matter  together,  at 
some  little  length,  "  though  fire  is  held  to  be  lawful  warfare, 
even  on  the  prer-ies.  For  my  part,  I'm  not  at  all  sorry 
there  is  something  to  do  ;  nor  will  my  chiefs  be  melancholy 
on  this  account,  for  it  is  dull  work  to  he  doing  nothing,  for 
months  and  months  at  a  time,  but  smoking  at  councils^ 


THE     REDSKINS.  343 

making  speeches  to  folks  who.  live  by  talking,  and  eating 
and  drinking.  Activity  is  the  natur'  of  a  prer-ie  man,  and 
tie's  always  glad  to  pick  his  flint,  after  a  spell  of  consider 
able  quiet.  I'll  tell  the  Chippewa  to  step  in,  and  bring  out 
the  redskins,  a'ter  which  you  can  give  your  orders." 

"  I  could  wish  watchfulness  rather  than  violence.  The 
men  can  lie  in  watch,  near  the  principal  buildings,  and  it 
might  be  well  to  have  some  water  ready,  to  extinguish  any 
flames  that  may  be  lighted,  before  they  get  too  far  ahead." 

"  Just  as  you  say,  Colonel,  for  you  are  my  Captain-Gene 
ral.  But,  I  can  tell  you  how  I  did  once,  out  on  the  prer-ies, 
when  I  caught  a  rascal  of  a  Sioux  blowing  a  fire  he  had  kin 
dled  at  one  of  my  own  lodges.  I  just  laid  him  on  the  flames, 
and  let  him  put  them  out  himself  by  bleeding  on  them." 

•"  We  must  have  no  violence,  unless  it  become  indispensa 
ble  to  save  the  buildings.  The  law  will  not  justify  us,  in 
using  our  arms,  except  in  the  last  extremity.  Prisoners  1 
wish  you  to  take ;  for  they  may  serve  as  hostages,  besides 
furnishing  examples  to  intimidate  other  offenders.  I  rely 
on  you  to  give  due  warning  to  our  red  friends,  on  this 
subject." 

The  interpreter  gave  a  sort  of  grunt,  but  he  said  nothing. 
The  conversation  went  no  farther,  however,  just  then ;  for, 
by  this  time,  the  Indians  came  stealing  out  of  the  house, 
every  man  of  them  armed,  looking  dusky,  prepared  and  full 
of  wariness.  Manytongues  did  not  keep  them  long,  but 
soon  told  his  story.  After  this,  his  authority  appeared,  in  a 
great  measure,  to  cease.  Flinty  heart  was  now  the  most 
prominent  of  the  party,  though  Prairiefire,  and  another  war 
rior,  were  also  connected  with  the  orders  given  to  the  rest. 
I  observed  that  Eaglesflight  had  no  part  in  these  arrange 
ments,  which  were  peculiarly  military,  though  he  appeared, 
armed  and  ready,  and  went  forth  on  the  sudden  call,  like 
the  rest.  In  five  minutes  the  Indians  were  all  off,  princi* 
pally  in  pairs,  leaving  the  interpreter  and  myself  still  stand 
ing  together,  in  front  of  the  deserted  house. 

It  was,  by  this  time,  past  one  o'clock,  and  I  thought  it 
probable  my  enemies  would  soon  appear,  if  they  came 
that  night.  Accompanied  by  the  interpreter,  I  took  the 
way  towards  the  Nest  House,  it  occurring  to  me  that  arms 
«night  be  wanted,  in  the  course  of  the  morning.  On  quit- 


344  THE     REDSKINS. 

ling  my  room,  the  rifle  and  pistol  provided  by  John  had 
been  left  there,  and  I  thought  of  stealing  into  the  house 
;>gain,  obtaining  those  weapons,  extinguish  my  lights,  and 
rejoin  my  present  companion,  without  giving  alarm  to  any 
of  the  sleepers. 

This  plan  was  successfully  executed,  so  far  as  ascending 
'><•  my  room  and  descending  to  the  door  were  concerned, 
hut  there  it  met  with  an  interruption.  While  in  the  very 
act  of  closing  the  little  postern,  as  we  used  to  call  it,  by 
way  of  pleasantry,  I  felt  a  small  soft  hand  laid  on  the  one 
of  my  own  which  was  drawing  to  the  door  after  me.  In 
rm  instant  I  had  turned,  and  was  at  the  side  of  Mary  War 
ren.  I  expressed  my  surprise  at  finding  her  still  up,  and 
concern  lest  she  might  suffer  in  health,  in  consequence  of 
.so  much  unusual  watchfulness. 

*'  I  could  not  sleep  after  what  has  passed  to-night,"  she 
answered,  "without  knowing  the  meaning  of  aH  these 
movements.  I  have  been  looking  from  my  window,  and 
naw  you  assist  Opportunity  to  get  on  her  horse,  and  after 
ward  walk  towards  the  old  farm-house,  where  the  Indians 
are  lodged.  Tell  me  frankly,  Mr.  Littlepage,  is  there  any 
danger  to  be  apprehended  V 

"  I  shall  be  frank  with  you,  Mary"  —  how  easy  and 
pleasant  it  was  to  me  to  use  this  gentle  familiarity,  which 
might  now  be  assumed  without  appearing  to  be  presump 
tuous,  under  all  the  circumstances  of  our  intercourse ;  "I 
shall  be  frank  with  you,  Mary ;  for  I  know  that  your  pru 
dence  and  self-command  will  prevent  any  unnecessary 
alarm,  while  your  watchfulness  may  be  of  use.  There  is 
some  reason  to  fear  the  brand." 

«  The  brand !" 

"  So  Opportunity  has  given  me  reason  to  suppose ;  and  I 
do  not  think  she  would  have  ridden  the  distance  she  did,  at 
such  an  hour,  unless  her  business  were  serious.  The  brand 
is  the  proper  instrument  of  the  anti-renter,  and  renders  his 
disguise  convenient.  I  have  got  all  the  red-men  on  the 
look-out,  however ;  and  I  do  not  think  that  mischief  can  be 
done  to-night,  without  its  being  detected.  To-morrow,  we 
can  appeal  to  the  authorities  for  protection." 

"  I  will  not  sleep  this  night !"  exclaimed  Mary,  drawing 
the  light  shawl  she  wore,  as  a  protection  against  the  air  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  345 

that  summer-night,  more  closely  around  her  person,  as  o 
sterner  being  might  be  supposed  to  gird  on  his  armour  in  a 
moment  of  peril.  «'  I  care  not  for  rest.  They  ought  not, 
they  shall  not,  Mr.  Littlepage,  do  you  this  wrong.  Have 
you  apprehensions  for  this  house?" 

"  One  never  knows.  This  house  is  not  easily  set  fire  to 
from  without,  and  I  scarcely  think  there  can  be  any  enemy 
within.  The  domestics  are  old  and  tried,  and  I  do  not  believe 
that  either  of  them  could  be  bought.  I  feel  little  apprehen 
sion,  therefore,  from  any  within,  while  I  confess  to  a  good 
deal  from  those  without.  Fire  is  such  a  dreadful  foe,  and 
one  is  usually  so  helpless  against  its  ravages  in  the  coun 
try  !  I  will  not  ask  you  to  retire,  for  I  know  you  will  not 
— nay,  cannot  sleep ;  but,  by  passing  from  window  to  win 
dow,  for  the  next  hour,  or  until  I  rejoin  you,  your  mind 
will  be  occupied,  and  possibly  some  injury  might  be  pre 
vented.  An  unseen  observer  from  a  window  might  detect 
an  attempt  that  would  escape  those  on  the  watch  without." 

"  I  will  do  so,"  said  Mary,  eagerly  ;  "  and  should  I  dis 
cover  anything,  I  will  open  a  leaf  of  the  shutter  of  my  own 
room.  You  can  then  see  the  light  of  the  candle  within, 
and  by  coming  at  once  to  this  door,  you  will  find  me  here, 
ready  to  let  you  know  my  discovery." 

With  this  understanding  we  parted,  but  not  until  I  had 
shaken  hands  affectionately  with  this  gentle-looking,  but 
really  resolute  and  clear-headed  girl.  I  rejoined  Many- 
tongues,  who  stood  in  the  shadows  of  the  piazza,  where 
there  was  no  possibility  of  his  being  seen,  except  by  one 
quite  near  his  person.  After  a  brief  explanation,  we  parted, 
one  taking  the  north  side  of  the  buildings,  and  the  other  the 
south,  in  order  to  make  certain  no  incendiary  was  at  work 
on  either  of  the  wings. 

The  Nest  House  was  much  less  exposed  to  attempts  like 
those  we  apprehended,  than  most  American  dwellings.  The 
structure  being  of  stone,  left  but  little  inflammable  material 
accessible ;  and  the  doors,  on  the  exterior,  were  only  two — 
those  already  mentioned.  There  was  a  great  gate,  it  is 
true ;  one  large  enough  to  admit  a  cart  into  the  inner  court, 
on  the  southern  face  of  the  wing,  beneath  the  arch  of  which 
an  incendiary  might,  indeed,  make  his  attempt,  though  a 
practised  rogue  would  at  once  see  the  difficulties.  Little 


346  THE     REDSKINS. 

wood  was  even  there,  beyond  that  of  the  massive  gate  itself 
which,  once  burnt,  would  leave  no  further  fuel  for  flames, 
T  examined  the  place,  notwithstanding;  and  finding  all  safe 
on  my  side  of  the  building,  I  went  to  rejoin  the  interpreter, 
who  was  to  meet  me  at  the  foot  of  a  fine  beech,  which  spread 
'ts  broad  arms  over  the  lawn,  at  the  distance  of  about  a 
nundred  yards  from  the  house,  and  so  nearly  in  its  front,  as 
to  afford  us,  in  all  respects,  the  most,  eligible  position  for 
sentinels  on  duty  like  ours,  far  or  near. 

At  the  foot  of  that  beech  I  found  Manytongues,  and  the 
deep  obscurity  in  which  his  form  was  embedded,  was,  of 
itself,  a  high  recommendation  of  the  position.  I  did  not  see 
him  until  almost  near  enough  to  touch  him.  He  was  seated 
on  a  bench,  and  seemed  entirely  at  his  ease,  like  one  accus 
tomed  to  ambushes,  vigilance,  and  midnight  assaults.  Wa 
exchanged  reports,  ascertained  all  was  well,  and  then  I  took 
my  seat  at  the  interpreter's  side,  willing  to  beguile  the  time 
by  such  discourse  as  occurred  to  my  mind. 

"  That  was  a  most  interesting  scene,  last  evening,"  I  re 
marked  ;  "  the  interview  between  Old  Trackless  and  your 
red  companions  !  I  own  a  lively  curiosity  to  know  what 
particular  claim  our  aged  friend  has  on  those  distant  tribes 
that  chiefs  of  note  have  come  so  far  to  see  him?" 

"  They  have  not  come  all  the  way  from  the  prer-ies,  to 
this  spot,  on  any  such  ar'n'd,  though  I  do  not  question  their 
readiness  to  do  so.  In  the  first  place,  old  age,  when  accom 
panied  by  wisdom,  and  sobriety,  and  a  good  character,  goes 
a  great  way  with  savages,  in  gin'ral.  But,  there  is  some 
thing  partic'lar  about  the  acts  of  Susquesus  that  I  do  not 
know,  which  raises  him  higher  than  common  in  redskin 
eyes.  I  intend  to  1'arn  what  it  is  before  we  quit  this  country." 

A  pause  succeeded ;  then  I  spoke  of  the  "  prer-ies,"  as 
almost  all  western  men  pronounce  the  word.  I  drew  such 
an  outline  of  the  life  as  I  supposed  my  companion  passed 
there,  thinking  it  might  be  agreeable  to  hear  his  own  habits 
and  enjoyments  extolled. 

"  I  'il  tell  you  how  it  is,  Colonel,"  returned  the  interpre 
ter,  with  a  little  show  of  feeling ;  much  more  than  he  had 
previously  manifested  on  any  occasion  during  our  short  ac 
quaintance  ;  "  yes,  I  '11  jist  tell  you  how  it  is.  Prer-ie  life 
it  delightsome  to  them  that  loves  freedom  and  justice." 


THE     REDSKINS.  347 

*«  Freedom  I  can  understand,"  said  I,  interrupting  him,  in 
my  surprise — "  but  as  for  justice,  I  should  think  that  laws 
are  absolutely  necessary." 

"Ay,  that's  a  settlement  idee,  I  know,  but  it's  not  as 
true  as  some  supposes.  There  is  no  court  and  jury  like 
this,  Colonel,"  slapping  the  breech  of  his  rifle  with  energy, 
"  and  eastern  powder  conspired  with  Galena  lead,  makes 
the  best  of  attorneys.  I  've  tried  both,  and  speak  on  sar- 
tainty.  Law  druv'  me  out  upon  the  prer-ies,  and  love  for 
them  keeps  me  there.  Down  this-a-way,  you  're  neither  one 
thing  nor  tuther — law  nor  rifle ;  for,  if  you  had  law,  as  law 
ought  to  be,  you  and  I  wouldn't  be  sitting  here,  at  this  time 
of  night,  to  prevent  your  mock  Injins  from  setting  fire  to 
your  houses  and  barns." 

There  was  only  too  much  truth  in  this  last  position  of 
the  straightforward  interpreter  to  be  gainsaid.  After  making 
some  proper  allowances  for  the  difficulties  of  the  case,  and 
the  unexpected  circumstances,  no  impartial  man  could  deny 
that  the  laws  had  been  trifled  with,  or  things  never  would 
have  reached  the  pass  they  had :  as  Manytongues  affirmed, 
we  had  neither  the  protection  of  the  law,  nor  the  use  of  the 
rifle.  It  ought  to  be  written  in  letters  of  brass  in  all  the 
highways  and  places  of  resort  in  the  country,  that  A  STATE 

CF  SOCIETY  WHICH  PRETENDS  TO  THE  PROTECTION  THAT 
BELONGS  TO  CIVILIZATION,  AND  FAILS  TO  GIVE  IT,  ONLY 
MAKES  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  HONEST  PORTION  OF  THE 
COMMUNITY  SO  MUCH  THE  WORSE,  BY  DEPRIVING  IT  OF  THE 
PROTECTION  CONFERRED  BY  NATURE,  WITHOUT  SUPPLYING 
THE  SUBSTITUTE. 

I  dare  say  the  interpreter  and  I  sat  an  hour  under  that 
tree,  conversing  in  low  voices,  on  such  matters  and  things 
as  came  uppermost  in  our  minds.  There  was  a  good  deal 
of  true  prer-ie  philosophy  in  the  opinions  of  my  companion, 
which  is  much  as  if  one  should  say  his  notions  were  a  mix 
ture  of  clear  natural  justice  and  strong  local  prejudices. 
The  last  sentiment  he  uttered  was  so  very  characteristic  as 
to  merit  particular  notice. 

"  I'll  tell  you  how  it  is,  Colonel,"  he  said,  "  right  is 
right,  and  nonsense  is  nonsense.  If  so  be,  we  should  hap 
pen  to  catch  one  of  these  mocking  rascals  firing  your 
house  or  barn,  it  would  be  a  smart  chance  at  justice  to  settle 


;>1S  THE     REDSKINS. 

things  on  the  spot.  If  I  had  my  way,  I  should  just  tie  the 
icliovv,  hands  and  feet,  and  toss  him  into  the  flames  to  help 
him  along  with  his  own  work.  A  rascal  makes  the  best  of 
kindling-wood!" 

Just  at  that  instant  I  saw  an  upper  leaf  of  the  inside  shutter 
of  Mary  Warren's  room  open,  for  my  eye  was  resting  on  the 
window  at  that  very  moment.  The  light  had  been  brought 
so  near  the  opening  as  plainly  to  show  the  change,  leaving  no 
doubt  that  my  fair  sentinel  within  had  made  some  important 
discovery.  At  such  a  summons  I  could  not  hesitate;  but,  tell 
ing  Many  tongues  to  continue  his  watchfulness,  I  went  across 
the  lawn  with  the  steps  of  youth  and  haste.  In  two  minutes 
my  hand  was  on  the  latch  of  the  little  door ;  and,  in  two  se 
conds  more,  it  was  open,  and  I  found  myself  standing  in  front 
of  Mary  Warren.  A  gesture  from  her  hand  induced  me  to  be 
cautious,  and  closing  the  door  silently,  I  asked  an  explanation. 

"  Speak  not  too  loud,"  whispered  the  anxious  girl,  pre 
serving  a  wonderful  self-command,  nevertheless,  for  the 
extraordinary  circumstances  in  which  she  was  placed."  I 
have  discovered  them;  they  are  here!" 

"  Here  \ — not  in  the  house,  surely  ?" 

"  In  the  house  itself! — in  the  kitchen,  where  they  are 
kindling  a  fire  on  the  floor  at  this  instant.  Come  quickly; 
— there  is  not  a  moment  to  lose." 

It  may  be  well  to  explain  here  the  arrangement  of  the 
kitchens  and  offices,  in  order  to  render  what  is  to  follow  the 
more  intelligible.  The  gateway  mentioned  cut  the  southern 
wing  of  the  house  into  two  equal  parts,  the  chambers,  how 
ever,  extending  the  whole  length,  and  of  course  passing 
over  it.  On  the  western  side  of  this  gateway  were  certain 
offices  connected  with  the  eating-rooms,  and  those  eating- 
rooms  themselves.  On  the  eastern  side  were  the  kitchen, 
servants'  hall,  scullery,  &c.,  and  a  flight  of  narrow  stairs 
that  led  to  the  chambers  occupied  by  the  domestics.  The 
outside  door  to  this  latter  portion  of  the  building  was  be 
neath  the  arch  of  the  gateway,  one  corresponding  to  it 
opening  on  its  opposite  side,  and  by  means  of  which  the 
service  was  ordinarily  made.  There  was  a  court,  environed 
on  three  of  its  sides  by  the  main  edifice,  and  by  the  two 
long,  low  wings  that  have  been  so  often  mentioned,  while  it 
was  open  on  the  fourth  to  the  cliff.  This  cliff  was  low, 


THE     REDSKINS.  349 

and,  while  it  was  nearly  perpendicular,  it  was  possible  for 
an  active  man  to  ascend,  or  even  to  descend  it,  by  clinging 
to  the  rocks,  which  were  sufficiently  ragged  to  admit  of 
such  an  adventure.  When  a  boy  I  had  done  both  fifty 
times,  and  it  was  a  somewhat  common  experiment  among 
the  male  domestics  and  hirelings  of  the  household.  It 
occurred  to  me  at  once  that  the  incendiaries  had  most  pro 
bably  entered  the  house  by  ascending  the  cliff,  the  kitchen 
of  itself  furnishing  all  the  materials  to  light  a  conflagration. 

The  reader  will  be  assured  that,  after  receiving  the  start 
ling  communication  of  Mary  Warren,  I  did  not  stop  to  dis 
cuss  all  these  matters  with  her.  My  first  impulse  was  to 
desire  her  to  run  to  the  beech,  and  bid  Manytongues  join 
me,  but  she  refused  to  quit  my  side. 

"  No — no — no.  You  must  not  go  to  the  kitchen  alone," 
she  said,  hurriedly.  "  There  are  two  of  them,  and  desperate 
looking  wretches  are  they,  with  their  faces  blackened,  and 
they  have  muskets.  No — no — no.  Come,  /  will  accom 
pany  you." 

I  hesitated  no  longer,  but  moved  forward,  Mary  keeping 
close  at  my  side.  Fortunately,  I  had  brought  the  rifle  with 
me,  and  the  revolving  pistol  was  in  my  pocket.  We  went 
by  the  eating-rooms  and  offices,  the  course  taken  by  Mary 
herself  on  her  watch  ;  and  who,  in  looking  through  a  small 
window  of  one  of  the  last,  that  opened  beneath  the  gateway, 
had  discovered  what  was  going  on,  by  means  of  a  similar 
window  in  the  kitchen.  As  we  went,  the  noble  girl  told  me 
that  she  had  kept  moving  through  the  lower  rooms  of  the 
whole  house  during  the  time  I  had  been  on  watch  out  of 
doors,  and,  attracted  by  the  light  that  gleamed  through  these 
windows,  she  had  distinctly  seen  two  men,  with  black 
ened  faces,  kindling  a  fire  in  a  corner  of  the  kitchen,  where 
the  flames  must  soon  communicate  with  the  stairs,  by  means 
of  which  they  would  speedily  reach  the  attics  and  the  wood 
work  of  the  roof.  Fortunately,  the  floors  of  all  that  part  of 
the  house  were  made  of  bricks  ;  that  of  the  servants'  hall 
excepted,  which  was  a  room  beyond  the  narrow  passage 
that  contained  the  stairs.  As  soon  as  apprised  of  the  danger, 
Mary  Warren  had  flown  to  the  window  of  her  own  room,  to 
make  the  signal  to  me,  and  then  to  the  door  to  meet  me. 
But  three  or  four  minutes  had  elapsed  between  tho  time 
30 


350  THE     REDSKINS. 

when  she  became  apprised  of  the  danger  and  that  when  we 
were  walking  hurriedly  to  the  window  beneath  the  gateway 

A  bright  light,  which  shone  through  the  opposite  window 
announced  the  progress  made  by  the  incendiaries.    Request- 
ing  Mary  to  remain  where  she  was,  I  passed  through  tha 
door,  and  descended  to  the  pavement  of  the  gateway.     Tho 
little  window  beneath  the  arch  was  too  high  for  'my  pur 
poses,  when  on  that  level,  but  there  was  a  row  of  low  win 
dows  that  opened  on  the  court.     To  one  of  these  I  moved 
swiftly,  and  got  a  clear  view  of  all  that  was  passing  within. 

"  There  they  are !"  exclaimed  Mary,  who,  neglectful  of 
my  request,  still  kept  close  at  my  side.  "  Two  men  with 
blackened  faces,  and  the  wood  of  which  they  have  made 
their  fire  is  blazing  brightly." 

The  fire,  now  I  saw  it,  did  not  confirm  the  dread  I  felt 
when  I  had  it  before  me  only  in  imagination.  The  stair- 
way  had  an  open  plaze  beneath  it,  and  on  the  brick  floor 
below  had  the  incendiaries  built  their  pile.  It  was  con 
structed,  at  the  bottom,  of  some  of  the  common  wood  tha* 
was  found  there,  in  readiness  for  the  wants  of  the  cook  in 
the  morning,  lighted  by  coals  taken  from  the  fire-place.  A 
considerable  pile  had  been  made  with  the  wood,  which  was 
now  burning  pretty  freely,  and  the  two  rascals  were  busy 
piling  on  the  chairs  when  I  first  saw  them.  They  had  made 
a  good  beginning,  and  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  longer  there 
is  no  doubt  that  all  that  portion  of  the  house  would  have  been 
in  flames. 

"  You  said  they  had  muskets,"  I  whispered  to  Mary.  "  Do 
you  see  them  now  ?" 

"  No :  when  I  saw  them,  each  held  his  musket  in  one 
hand,  and  worked  with  the  other." 

I  could  have  shot  the  villains  without  difficulty  or  risk  to 
myself,  but  felt  deeply  averse  to  taking  human  life.  Still, 
there  was  the  prospect  of  a  serious  struggle  before  me,  and 
I  saw  the  necessity  of  obtaining  assistance. 

"  Will  you  go  to  my  uncle's  room,  Mary,  and  tell  him  to 
rise  immediately.  Then  to  the  front  door  of  the  house,  and 
call  out,  «  Manytongues,  come  here  as  fast  as  possible.'  It 
will  take  but  two  minutes  to  do  both,  and  I  will  watch  these 
rascals  in  the  mean  time." 


THE     REDSKINS.  351 

"  I  dread  leaving  you  here  alone  with  the  wretches,  Mr. 
Littlepage,"  whispered  Mary,  gently. 

An  earnest  entreaty  on  my  part,  however,  induced  her 
to  comply  ;  and,  no  sooner  did  the  dear  girl  set  about  the 
accomplishment  of  the  task,  than  she  flew  rather  than  ran. 
It  did  not  seem  to  me  a  minute  ere  I  heard  her  call  to  the  in 
terpreter.  The  night  was  so  still,  that,  sweet  as  were  those 
tones,  and  busy  as  were  the  incendiaries,  they  heard  them 
too;  or  fancied  they  heard  something  which  alarmed  them. 
They  spoke  to  each  other,  looked  intently  at  their  infernal 
work  for  a  single  instant,  sought  their  arms,  which  were 
standing  in  the  corner  of  the  kitchen,  and  were  evidently 
preparing  to  depart. 

The  crisis  was  near.  There  was  not  time  to  receive  as 
sistance  before  the  two  fellows  would  be  out,  and  I  must 
either  meet  them  in  conflict,  or  suffer  them  to  escape.  My 
first  impression  was  to  shoot  down  the  leading  man,  and 
grapple  with  the  other  ere  he  had  time  to  prepare  his  arms. 
But  a  timely  thought  prevented  this  hazardous  step.  The 
incendiaries  were  retiring,  and  I  had  a  doubt  of  the  legality 
of  killing  a  retreating  felon.  I  believed  that  my  chances 
before  a  jury  would  be  far  less  than  those  of  an  ordinary 
pick-pocket  or  highway  robber,  and  had  heard  and  read 
enough  to  be  certain  there  were  thousands  around  me  who 
would  fancy  it  a  sufficient  moral  provocation  for  all  which 
had  passed,  that  I  held  the  fee  of  farms  that  other  men  de 
sired  to  possess. 

A  majority  of  my  countrymen  will  scout  this  idea  as  forced 
and  improbable.  But,  majorities  are  far  from  being  infalli 
ble  in  their  judgments.  Let  any  discreet  and  observant  man 
take  a  near  view  of  that  which  is  daily  going  on  around  him. 
If  he  do  not  find  in  men  this  disposition  to  distort  principles, 
to  pervert  justice,  and  to  attain  their  ends  regardless  of  the 
means,  then  will  I  admit  I  do  not  understand  human  nature, 
as  human  nature  exhibits  its  deformity  in  this  blessed  re 
public  of  ours. 

There  was  no  time  to  lose,  however;  and  the  course  1 
actually  decided  to  take  will  be  soonest  told  by  relating 
things  as  they  occurred.  I  heard  the  door  open,  and  was 
ready  for  action.  Whether  the  incendiaries  intended  to 
retreat  by  the  cliff,  or  to  open  the  gate,  which  was  barred 


352  THE    REDSKINS. 

within,  I  could  not  tell ;  but  I  wsis  ready  for  either  alter 
native. 

No  sooner  did  I  hear  a  step  on  the  pavement  of  the  gate- 
way  than  I  discharged  my  rifle  in  the  air.  This  was  dona 
as  an  alarm-signal.  Clubbing  the  piece,  I  sprang  forward, 
and  felled  the  foremost  of  the  two,  with  a  sharp  blow  on  his 
hat.  The  fellow  came  down  on  the  pavement  like  an  ox 
under  the  axe  of  the  slaughter-house.  Dropping  the  rifle,  I 
bounded  over  his  body,  and  grappled  with  his  companion. 
All  this  was  done  so  rapidly  as  to  take  the  rascals  com 
pletely  by  surprise.  So  sudden,  indeed,  was  my  assault  on 
the  fellow  who  stood  erect,  that  he  was  under  the  necessity 
of  dropping  his  rifle,  and  at  it  we  went,  clenched  like  bears 
in  the  death-hug.  I  was  young  and  active,  but  my  antago 
nist  was  the  stronger  man  of  the  two.  He  had  also  the 
advantage  of  being  practised  in  wrestling,  and  I  soon  went 
down,  my  enemy  falling  on  top  of  me.  Luckily,  I  fell  on 
the  body  of  the  other  incendiary,  who  was  just  beginning  to 
discover  signs  of  consciousness  after  the  crushing  blow  he 
had  received.  My  chance  would  now  have  been  small  but 
for  assistance.  The  incendiary  had  caught  my  neck-hand 
kerchief,  and  was  twisting  it  to  choke  me,  when  I  felt  a 
sudden  relief.  The  light  of  the  fire  shone  through  the 
kitchen  doors,  rendering  everything  distinct  beneath  the  arch. 
Mary  came  flying  back  just  in  time  to  rescue  me.  With  a 
resolution  that  did  her  honour,  she  caught  up  the  rifle  I  had 
dropped,  and  passed  its  small  end  between  the  bent  arms  of 
my  antagonist  and  his  own  back,  raising  it  at  the  same  time 
like  a  lever.  In  the  brief  interval  of  breathing  this  ready 
expedient  gave  me,  I  rallied  my  force,  caught  my  enemy  by 
the  throat,  made  a  desperate  effort,  threw  him  off,  and  over 
on  his  side,  and  was  on  my  feet  in  an  instant.  Drawing  the 
pistol,  I  ordered  the  rascal  to  yield,  or  to  take  the  conse 
quences.  The  sight  of  this  weapon  secured  the  victory,  the 
black-faced  villain  shrinking  back  into  a  corner,  begging 
piteously  not  to  be  shot.  At  the  next  moment,  the  interpre 
ter  appeared  under  the  arch,  followed  by  a  stream  of  red 
skins,  which  had  been  turned  in  this  direction  by  the  alarm 
given  by  my  rifle. 


THE     REDSKINS.  353 


CHAPTEE  XXIII. 

«  Ye  say  they  all  have  passed  away, 

That  noble  race  and  brave ; 
That  their  light  canoes  have  variish'd 

From  off  the  crested  wave ; 
That  'mid  the  forests  where  they  roam'd 

There  rings  no  hunter's  shout ; 
But  their  name  is  on  your  waters, 
Ye  may  not  wash  it  out." 

MRS.  SIGOUBWET. 

DIRECTING  Manytongues  to  secure  the  two  incendiaries, 
sprang  into  the  kitchen  to  extinguish  the  flames.  It  was 
nigh  time,  though  Mary  Warren  had  already  anticipated  me 
here,  too.  She  had  actually  thrown  several  dippers  of  water 
upon  the  fire,  which  was  beginning  to  crackle  through  the 
pile  of  chairs,  and  had  already  succeeded  in  lessening  the 
flames.  I  knew  that  a  hydrant  stood  in  the  kitchen  itself, 
which  gave  a  full  stream  of  water.  Filling  a  pail,  I  threw 
the  contents  on  the  flames ;  and  repeating  the  application, 
in  half  a  minute  the  room  was  filled  with  vapour,  and  to  the 
bright  light  succeeded  a  darkness  that  was  so  deep  as  to  sug 
gest  the  necessity  of  finding  lamps  and  candles. 

The  tumult  produced  by  the  scene  just  described  soon 
brought  all  in  the  house  to  the  spot.  The  domestics,  male 
and  female,  came  tumbling  down  the  stairs,  under  which  the 
fire  had  been  lighted,  and  presently  candles  were  seen  glanc 
ing  about  the  house,  in  all  directions. 

"  I  declare,  Mr.  Hugh,"  cried  John,  the  moment  he  had 
taken  a  survey  of  the  state  of  the  kitchen,  "  this  is  worse 
than  Hireland,  sir !  The  Hamericans  affect  to  laugh  at  the 
poor  Hirish,  and  calls  their  country  savage,  and  hunfit  to 
be  in'abited,  but  nothing  worse  passes  in  it  than  is  beginning 
to  pass  'ere.  Them  stairs  would  have  been  all  in  flames  in 
a  few  minutes,  and  them  stairs  once  on  fire,  not  one  of  hus, 
up  in  the  hattics,  could  'ave  escaped  death !  Don't  talk  of 
Hireland,  after  this!" 

Poor  John  !  his  prejudices  are  those  of  an  Englishman  of 
30* 


354  THE     REDSKINS. 

his  class,  and  that  is  saying  as  much  in  favour  of  theif 
strength  as  can  be  well  said  of  any  prejudices.  But,  how 
much  truth  was  there  in  his  remark  !  The  quiet  manner  in 
which  we  assume  superiority,  in  morals,  order,  justice  and 
virtue,  over  all  other  nations,  really  contains  an  instructive 
lesson,  if  one  will  only  regard  things  as  they  really  are.  I 
have  no  wish  to  exaggerate  the  faults  of  my  own  country, 
but  certainly  I  shall  not  remorselessly  conceal  them,  when 
the  most  dangerous  consequences  are  connected  with  such 
a  mistake.  As  a  whole,  the  disorders,  disturbances,  and 
convulsions  of  America  have  certainly  been  much  fewer 
than  those  of  most,  perhaps  of  all  other  Christian  nations, 
comparing  numbers,  and  including  the  time  since  the  great 
experiment  commenced.  But,  such  ought  to  have  been  the 
result  of  our  facts,  quite  independently  of  national  character. 
The  institutions  leave  nothing  for  the  masses  to  struggle  for, 
and  famine  is  unknown  among  us.  But  what  does  the  other 
side  of  the  picture  exhibit?  Can  any  man  point  to  a  country 
in  Europe  in  which  a  great  political  movement  has  com 
menced  on  a  principle  as  barefacedly  knavish  as  that  of 
transferring  property  from  one  class  of  men  to  another 
That  such  a  project  does  exist  here,  is  beyond  all  just  con 
tradiction ;  and  it  is  equally  certain  that  it  has  carried  it* 
devices  into  legislation,  and  is  fast  corrupting  the  govern 
ment  in  its  most  efficient  agents.  John  was  right  in  saying 
we  ought  not  to  turn  up  our  noses  at  the  ebullitions  of  abused 
and  trodden-on  "  Hireland,"  while  our  own  skirts  are  to  be 
cleared  of  such  sins  against  the  plainest  dictates  of  right. 

The  fire  was  extinguished,  and  the  house  was  safe.  The 
kitchen  was  soon  cleared  of  the  steam  and  smoke,  and  in 
their  places  appeared  a  cloud  of  redskins.  Prairiefire,  Ea 
glesflight,  and  Flintyheart,  were  all  there,  examining  the 
effects  of  the  fire,  with  stern  and  interested  countenances.  1 
looked  round  for  Mary  Warren  ;  but  that  gentle  and  singu- 
larly  feminine  girl,  after  manifesting  a  presence  of  mind  and 
decision  that  would  have  done  honour  to  a  young  man  of 
her  own  age,  had  shrunk  back  with  sensitive  consciousness, 
and  now  concealed  herself  among  the  others -of  her  sex. 
Her  duty,  so  eminently  useful  and  protective,  had  been  per 
formed,  and  she  was  only  anxious  to  have  it  all  forgotten 
This  I  discovered  only  next  day,  however 


THE     REDSKINS.  355 

Manytongues  had  secured  the  incendiaries,  and  they 
were  now  in  the  kitchen,  also,  with  their  hands  tied  toge 
ther,  and  arms  bound  behind  their  backs,  at  the  elbows.  As 
heir  faces  remained  black,  it.  was  out  of  my  power  to  re- 
coo  nise  either.  The  rascal  who  had  been  felled  by  the  blow 
of  the  rifle  was  yet  confused  in  manner,  and  I  ordered  the 
domestics  to  wash  him,  in  the  double  expectation  of  bringing 
him  more  completely  to  his  senses,  and  of  ascertaining  who 
he  might  be. 

The  work  was  soon  done,  and  both  objects  were  attained. 
The  cook  used  a. dishcloth  with  so  much  dexterity,  that  the 
black-a-moor  came  out  a  white  man,  at  the  first  application, 
and  he  was  soon  as  clean  as  a  child  that  is  about  to  be  sent 
to  school,  fresh  from  the  hands  of  its  nurse.  The  re 
moval  of  the  disguise  brought  out  the  abashed  and  fright 
ened  physiognomy  of  Joshua  Brigham,  Miller's  hired  man 
—  or  my  hired  man,  in  effect,  as  I  paid  him  his  wages. 

Yes !  such  was  one  of  the  effects  of  the  pernicious  opi 
nions  that  had  been  so  widely  circulated  in  the  land,  during 
the  profound  moral  mania  that  was  working  its  ravages 
among  us,  with  a  fatality  and  danger  that  greatly  exceed 
those  which  accompanied  the  cholera.  A  fellow,  who  was 
almost  an  inmate  of  my  family,  had  not  only  conspired 
with  others  to  rob  me  of  my  property,  on  a  large  scale,  but 
he  had  actually  carried  his  plot  so  far  as  to  resort  to  the 
brand  and  the  rifle,  as  two  of  the  agents  to  be  employed  in 
carrying  out  his  virtuous  objects.  Nor  was  this  the  result 
of  the  vulgar  disposition  to  steal ;  it  was  purely  a  conse- 
sequence  of  a  widely-extended  system,  that  is  fast  becoming 
incorporated  with  the  politics  of  the  land,  and  which  men, 
relying  on  the  efficacy  of  majorities,  are  bold  enough  to 
stand  up,  in  legislative  halls,  to  defend.* 

*  In  order  that  the  reader  who  is  not  familiar  with  what  is  passing 
in  New  York  may  not  suppose  that  exaggerated  terms  are  here  used, 
the  writer  will  state  a  single  expedient  of  the  anti-renters  in  the  legis 
lature  to  obtain  their  ends.  It  is  generally  known  that  the  Constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States  prevents  the  separate  States  from  passing 
laws  impairing  the  obligations  of  contracts.  But  for  this  provision  of 
the  Federal  Constitution,  it  is  probable,  numbers  would  have  succeed 
ed,  long  ago,  in  obtaining  the  property  of  the  few  on  their  own  terms, 
wnid  shouts  in  honour  of  liberty  !  This  provision,  however,  has  prcved 


356  THE     REDSKINS. 

I  confess  that  the  discovery  of  the  person  of  Joshua 
Brigham  rendered  me  a  little  curious  to  ascertain  that  of 
his  companion.  Hester,  the  cook,  was  directed  to  take  the 
other  child  in  hand,  as  soon  as  she  had  well  wiped  the 
countenance  of  the  one  first  unmasked.  Nothing  loth,  the 
good  housewife  set  about  her  task,  and  the  first  dab  of  watef 
she  applied  revealed  the  astounding  fact  that  I  had  again 
captured  Seneca  Newcome !  It  will  be  remembered,  that 
the  last  time  I  saw  these  two  men  together,  I  left  them 
fighting  in  the  highway. 

I  admit  that  this  discovery  shocked  me.  There  never  had 
been  a  being  of  the  Newcome  tribe,  from  the  grandfather, 
who  was  its  root  at  Ravensnest,  down  to  Opportunity,  who 
had  ever  been  esteemed,  or  respected  among  us.  Trick — • 
trick — trick — low  cunning,  and  overreaching  management, 
had  been  the  family  trait,  from  the  day  Jason,  of  that  name, 
had  rented  the  mill  lot,  down  to  the  present  hour.  This  I 
had  heard  from  my  grandfather,  my  grandmother,  my  own 
father,  my  uncle,  my  aunts  and  all,  older  than  myself,  who 
belonged  to  me.  Still,  there  they  had  been,  and  habit  had 
created  a  sort  of  feeling  for  them.  There  had,  also,  been  a 
species  of  pretension  about  the  family,  which  brought  them 
more  before  us,  than  most  of  the  families  of  the  tenantry. 

a  stubborn  obstacle,  until  the  world,  near  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  has  been  favoured  with  the  following  notable  scheme  to 
effect  the  ends  of  those  who  <want  farms  and  must  have  them.' 
The  State  can  regulate,  by  statute,  the  law  of  descents.  It  has,  accord 
ingly,  been  solemnly  proposed  in  the  legislature  of  New  York,  that  the 
statute  of  descents  should  be  so  far  altered,  that  when  a  landlord,  hold 
ing  lands  subject  to  certain  leasehold  tenures,  dies,  or  a  descent  is  cast, 
that  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  tenants,  on  application  to  the  chancellor, 
to  convert  these  leasehold  tenures  into  mortgages,  and  to  obtain  the 
fee-simple  of  the  estates  in  payment  of  the  debt  !  In  other  words,  A 
leases  a  farm  to  B  for  ever,  reserving  a  ground-rent,  with  covenants  of 
re-entry,  &c.  &c.  B  wishes  a  deed,  but  will  not  pay  A's  price.  The 
United  States  says  the  contract  shall  not  be  impaired,  and  the  Legisla 
ture  of  New  York  is  illustrated  by  the  expedient  we  have  named,  to 
get  over  the  provision  of  the  Constitution  ! 

Since  writing  the  foregoing,  this  law  has  actually  passed  the  Assem 
bly,  though  it  has  not  been  adopted  by  the  Senate.  The  provision 
included  all  leased  property,  when  the  leases  were  for  more  than 
twenty-one  years,  or  were  on  lives.  —  EDITOH. 


THE     REDSKINS.  357 

The  grandfather  had  received  a  sort  of  an  education,  and 
-his  practice  had  been  continued,  after  a  manner,  down  to 
the  unfortunate  wretch  who  now  stood  a  prisoner  taken 
flagrante  delictu,  and  for  a  capital  crime.  Seneca  could 
never  have  made  a  gentleman,  as  the  term  is  understood 
among  gentlemen  ;  but  he  belonged  to  a  profession  which 
ought  to  raise  a  man  materially  above  the  level  of  the  vulgar. 
Opportunity,  too,  had  received  her  quasi  education,  a  far 
more  pretending  one  than  that  of  my  own  Patt,  but  nothing 
had  been  well  taught  to  her ;  not  even  reading,  inasmuch  as 
she  had  a  decided  provincial  pronunciation,  which  some 
times  grated  on  my  nerves.  But,  Opportunity  had  feelings, 
and  could  not  have  anticipated  her  own  brother's  intentions, 
when  she  communicated  the  important  information  she  had. 
Opportunity,  moreover,  had  more  refinement  than  Seneca, 
in  consequence  of  having  a  more  limited  association,  and  she 
might  fall  into  despair,  at  this  unexpected  result  of  her 
own  acts ! 

I  was  still  reflecting  on  these  things,  when  summoned  to 
my  grandmother.  She  was  in  her  own  dressing-room,  sur 
rounded  by  the  four  girls ;  just  so  many  pictures  of  alarm, 
interest,  and  female  loveliness.  Mary  Warren,  alone,  was  in 
regular  toilette;  but  the  others,  with  instinctive  coquetry,  had 
contrived  to  wrap  themselves  up,  in  a  way  to  render  them 
handsomer  than  ever.  As  for  my  dear  grandmother  her 
self,  she  had  been  told  that  the  house  was  safe,  but  felt  that 
vague  desire  to  see  me,  that  was  perhaps  natural  to  the  cir 
cumstances. 

"  The  state  of  the  country  is  frightful,"  she  said,  when  I 
had  answered  a  few  of  her  questions,  and  had  told  her  who 
the  prisoners  really  were;  "  and  we  can  hardly  remain  here, 
in  safety.  Think  of  one  of  the  Newcomes — and  of  Seneca, 
in  particular,  with  his  profession  and  education,  being  en 
gaged  in  such  a  crime !" 

"  Nay,  grandmother,"  put  in  Patt,  a  little  archly,  "  I  never 
yet  heard  you  speak  well  of  the  Newcomes :  you  barely 
tolerated  Opportunity,  in  the  hope  of  improving  her." 

"  It  is  true,  that  the  race  is  a  bad  one,  and  the  circum 
stances  show  what  injury  a  set  of  fasle  notions,  transmitted 
from  father  to  son,  for  generations,  may  do  in  a  family. 
We  cannot  think  of  keeping  these  dear  girls,  here,  one 


358  THE    REDSKINS. 

hour  after  to-morrow,  Hugh.  To-morrow,  or  to-day,  for  it 
is  now  past  two  o'clock,  I  see ; — to-day  is  Sunday,  and  we 
can  go  to  church  ;  to-night  we  will  be  watchful,  and  Mon 
day  morning,  your  uncle  shall  start  for  Satanstoe,  with  all 
three  of  the  girls." 

"  I  shall  not  leave  my  dear  grandmother,"  rejoined  Patt— 
"  nor  do  I  think  it  would  be  very  kind  to  leave  Mary  War 
ren  behind  us,  in  a  place  like  this." 

"I  cannot  quit  my  father,"  said  Mary,  herself,  quietly, 
but  very  ^firmly.  "  It  is  his  duty  to  remain  with  his  parish 
ioners,  and  more  so,  now,  that  so  many  of  them  are  mis 
guided,  than  at  any  other  time ;  and  it  is  always  my  duty, 
and  my  pleasure,  to  remain  with  7nm." 

Was  that  acting?  Was  that  Pharisaical?  Or  was  it 
genuine  nature;  pure  filial  affection  and  filial  piety?  Be 
yond  all  question,  it  was  the  last;  and  had  not  the  simple 
tone,  the  earnest  manner,  and  the  almost  alarmed  eagerness, 
with  which  the  dear  girl  spoke,  proclaimed  as  much,  no  one 
could  have  looked  in  at  that  serene  and  guileless  eye  and 
doubted.  My  grandmother  smiled  on  the  lovely  earnest 
speaker,  in  her  kindest  manner,  took  her  hand,  and  charm 
ingly  observed — 

"  Mary  and  I  will  remain  together.  Her  father  is  in  no 
danger,  for  even  anti-renters  will  respect  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  and  can  be  made  to  understand  it  is  his  duty  to  re 
buke  even  their  sins.  As  for  the  other  girls,  I  think  it  is 
our  duty  to  insist  that  your  uncle's  wards,  at  least,  should 
no  longer  be  exposed  to  dangers  like  those  we  have  gone 
through  to-night." 

The  two  young  ladies,  however,  protested  in  the  prettiest 
manner  possible,  their  determination  not  to  quit  "grand 
mamma,"  as  they  affectionately  termed  their  guardian's 
mother;  and  while  they  were  thus  employed,  my  uncle  Ro 
entered  the  room,  having  just  paid  a  visit  to  the  kitchen. 

"  Here 's  a  charming  affair  !"  exclaimed  the  old  bachelor, 
as  soon  as  in  our  midst.  "  Arson,  anti-rentism,  attempts  at 
murder,  and  all  sorts  of  enormities,  going  hand  in  hand,  in 
the  very  heart  of  the  wisest  and  best  community  that  eartk 
ever  knew  ;  and  the  laws  as  profoundly  asleep  the  whole 
time,  as  if  such  gentle  acts  were  considered  meritorious, 
This  out-does  repudiation  twenty-fold,  Hugh. 


THE     REDSKINS.  359 

"  Ay,  my  dear  sir,  but  it  will  not  make  a  tithe  of  the  talk. 
Look  at  the  newspapers  that  will  be  put  into  your  hands  to 
morrow  morning,  fresh  from  Wall  and  Pine  and  Anne 
streets.  They  will  be  in  convulsions,  if  some  unfortunate 
wight  of  a  Senator  speak  of  adding  an  extra  corporal  to  a 
regiment  of  foot,  as  an  alarming  war-demonstration,  or  quote 
the  fall  of  a  fancy  stock  that  has  not  one  cent  of  intrinsic 
value,  as  if  it  betokened  the  downfall  of  a  nation ;  while 
they  doze  over  this  volcano,  which  is  raging  and  gathering 
strength  beneath  the  whole  community,  menacing  destruc 
tion  to  the  nation  itself,  which  is  the  father  of  stocks." 

"  The  intense  selfishness  that  is  uppermost  is  a  bad  symp 
tom,  certainly ;  and  no  one  can  say  to  what  it  will  lead. 
One  thing  is  sure;  it  causes  men  to  limit  all  their  calcula 
tions  to  the  present  moment ;  and  to  abate  a  nuisance  that 
presses  on  our  existing  interests,  they  will  jeopard  every 
thing  that  belongs  to  the  future.  But  what  are  we  to  do 
with  Seneca  Newcome,  and  his  co-rascal,  the  other  incen 
diary  ?" 

"  I  had  thought  of  referring  that  to  your  discretion,  sir. 
They  have  been  guilty  of  arson,  I  suppose,  and  must  take 
their  chances,  like  every-day  criminals." 

"  Their  chances  will  be  very  good  ones,  Hugh.  Had  you 
been  caught  in  Seneca  Newcome's  kitchen,  setting  fire  to 
his  house,  condign  and  merciless  punishment  would  have 
been  your  lot,  beyond  all  controversy ;  but  their  cases  will 
be  very  different.  I'll  bet  you  a  hundred  that  they'll  not 
be  convicted ;  and  a  thousand  that  they  are  pardoned,  if 
convicted." 

"Acquitted,  sir,  will  be  out  of  the  question  — Miss  War 
ren  and  I  saw  them  both,  in  the  very  act  of  building  their 
fire ;  and  there  is  plenty  of  testimony,  as  to  their  identity." 

This  indiscreet  speech  drew  every  eye  on  my  late  com 
panion  ;  all  the  ladies,  old  and  young,  repeating  the  name 
of  "Mary !"  in  the  pretty  manner  in  which  the  sex  expresses 
surprise.  As  for  Mary,  herself,  the  poor  blushing  girl  shrunk 
back  abashed,  ashamed  of  she  knew  not  what,  unless  it 
migh,  be  in  connection  with  some  secret  consciousness,  at 
finding  herself  so  strangely  associated  with  me. 

"  Miss  Warren  is,  indeed,  in  her  evening  dress,"  said  my 


360  THE    REDSKINS. 

grandmother,  a  little  gravely,  "  and  cannot  have  been  in  bed 
this  night.  How  has  this  happened,  my  dear?" 

Thus  called  on,  Mary  Warren  was  of  too  guileless  and 
pure  a  mind,  to  hesitate  in  telling  her  tale.  Every  incident, 
with  which  she  had  been  connected,  was  simply  and  clearly 
related,  though  she  suppressed  the  name  of  our  midnight 
visiter,  out  of  tenderness  to  Opportunity.  All  present  were 
too  discreet  to  ask  the  name,  and,  I  may  add,  all  present 
heard  the  narrative  with  a  marked  and  approving  interest. 
When  Mary  had  done,  my  grandmother  kissed  her,  and 
Patt,  the  generous  creature,  encircled  her  waist,  with  the 
tenderness  and  affection  of  a  sister,  who  felt  for  all  the  trials 
the  other  had  endured. 

"  It  seems,  then,  we  owe  our  safety  to  Mary,  after  all !" 
exclaimed  my  good  grandmother;  "without  her  care  and 
watchfulness,  Hugh  might,  most  probably  would,  have  re- 
mained  on  the  lawn,  until  it  was  too  late  to  save  the  house, 
or  us." 

"That  is  not  all,"  added  uncle  Ro.  "Any  one  could 
have  cried  '  fire,'  or  given  a  senseless  alarm,  but  it  is  evi 
dent  from  Miss  Warren's  account,  unpremeditated  and  art 
less  as  it  is  that,  but  for  the  cool  and  discreet  manner  in 
which  she  played  her  part,  not  one-half  of  that  which  has 
been  done,  would  have  been  effected,  and  that  the  house 
might  have  been  lost.  Nay,  had  these  fellows  surprised 
Hugh,  instead  of  Hugh's  surprising  them,  we  might  have 
been  called  on  to  deplore  his  loss." 

I  saw  a  common  shudder  in  Patt  and  Mary,  as  they  stood 
encircling  each  other  with  their  arms;  but  the  last  was  evi 
dently  so  pained,  that  I  interfered  for  her  relief. 

"  I  do  not  see  any  possibility  of  escape  for  these  incen 
diaries,"  I  said,  turning  to  my  uncle,  "  under  the  testimony 
that  can  be  offered,  and  am  surprised  to  hear  you  suggest  a 
doubt  of  the  result  of  the  trial." 

"You  feel  and  reason  like  a  very  young  man,  Hugh; 
one,  who  fancies  things  are  much  nearer  what  they  ought 
to  be  than  facts  will  sustain.  Justice  is  blind,  now-a-days, 
not  as  a  proof  of  impartiality,  but  as  a  proof  that  she  too 
often  sees  only  one  side  of  a  question.  How  will  they  es« 
cape  I  Perhaps  the  jury  may  fancy  setting  fire  to  a  pile  of 


THE     REDSKINS.  361 

v-ood,  and  certain  chairs,  is  not  setting  fire  to  a  house,  let 
the  animus  be  as  plain  as  the  noses  on  their  faces.  Mark 
me,  Hugh  Littlepage ;  one  month  will  not  go  by,  before  the 
events  of  this  very  night  will  he  tortured  into  an  argument 
in  favour  of  anti-rentism." 

A  common  exclamation,  in  which  even  my  grandmother 
joined,  expressed  the  general  dissent  from  this  opinion. 

"  It  is  all  very  well,  ladies,"  answered  my  uncle  Ro, 
coolly — "  all  well  enough,  Master  Hugh ;  but  let  the  issue 
tell  its  own  story.  I  have  heard  already  other  abuses  of 
the  anti-renters  urged  as  a  reason  why  the  laws  should  be 
changed,  in  order  that  men  may  not  be  tempted  beyond  their 
strength ;  and  why  not  use  the  same  reasoning  in  favour  of 
this  crime,  when  it  has  been  used  already,  in  cases  of  mur 
der?  'The  leasehold  tenures  make  men  commit  murder,' 
it  is  said,  'and  they  ought  to  be  destroyed,'  themselves. 
'  The  leasehold  tenures  make  men  commit  arson,'  it  will  now 
be  said,  '  and  who  desires  to  retain  laws  that  induce  men  to 
commit  arson?'" 

"  On  the  same  principle  it  might  b<  pretended  there  should 
be  no  such  thing  as  personals,  as  they  tempt  men,  beyond 
what  they  can  bear,  to  commit  petty  larceny." 

"  No  doubt  it  could,  and  no  doubt  it  would,  if  political 
supremacy  were  to  be  the  reward.  There  is  nothing — no 
fallacy,  no  moral  sophism,  that  would  not  be  used  to  attain 
such  an  end.  But,  it  is  late,  and  we  ought  to  bethink  us  of 
disposing  of  the  prisoners  for  the  night — what  means  this 
light  ?  The  house  is  not  on  fire,  after  all !" 

Sure  enough,  notwithstanding  the  closed  shutters,  and 
drawn  curtains  of  my  grandmother's  dressing-room,  an 
unusual  light  had  penetrated  to  the  place,  filling  us  with 
sudden  and  intense  alarm.  I  opened  the  door,  and  found 
the  passages  illuminated,  though  all  within  appeared  tranquil 
and  safe.  There  was  a  clamour  in  the  court,  however,  and 
presently  the  fearful  war-whoop  of  the  savages  rose  on  the 
night  air.  The  cries  came  from  without,  as  I  fancied,  and 
rushing  to  the  little  door,  I  was  on  the  lawn  in  a  moment, 
when  the  mystery  was  solved.  An  extensive  hay-barn,  one 
well  filled  with  the  remainder  of  the  last  year's  crops,  was 
on  fire,  sending  its  forked  and  waving  tongues  of  flame  at 
least  a  hundred  feet  into  the  air.  It  was  merely  a  new  ar- 
31 


362  THE     REDSKINS 

gument  against  the  leasehold  tenures,  and  in  favour  of  the 
"  spirit  of  the  institutions,"  a  little  vividly  pressed  on  the 
human  senses.  Next  year,  it  may  figure  in  the  message  of 
a  governor,  or  the  philanthropical  efforts  of  some  Albany 
orator,  if  the  same  "  spirit"  prevail  in  the  "  institutions,"  aa 
would  seem  to  prevail  this!  Is  a  contract  to  be  tolerated 
which  induces  freemen  to  set  barns  on  fire? 

The  barn  that  had  been  set  on  fire  stood  on  the  flats,  be 
low  the  cliff,  and  fully  half  a  mile  from  the  Nest.  The  con 
flagration  made  a  most  brilliant  blaze,  and,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  produced  an  intense  light.  The  loss  to  myself  did 
not  exceed  a  few  hundred  dollars;  and,  while  this  particu 
lar  argument  in  favour  of  anti-rentism  was  not  entirely 
agreeable,  it  was  not  so  grave  as  it  might  have  been,  had  it 
been  urged  on  other  buildings,  and  in  the  same  mode.  In 
other  words,  I  was  not  so  much  distressed  with  my  loss  as 
not  to  be  able  to  see  the  beauty  of  the  scene ;  particularly 
as  my  uncle  Ro  whispered  that  Dunning  had  caused  an  in 
surance  to  be  effected  in  the  Saratoga  Mutual  Assurance, 
which  would  probably  place  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
tenants  in  the  unlooked-for  category  of  those  who  were  to 
pay  for  their  own  frolic. 

As  it  was  too  late  to  think  of  saving  the  barn  and  ricks, 
and  Miller,  with  his  people,  had  already  descended  to  the 
spot  to  look  after  the  fences,  and  any  other  object  that  might 
be  endangered  by  the  flying  embers,  there  was  nothing  for 
us  to  do  but  to  remain  passive  spectators.  Truly,  the  scene 
was  one  worthy  of  being  viewed,  and  is  not  altogether  unfit 
for  description. 

The  light  of  that  burning  barn  extended  for  a  great  dis 
tance,  shining  like  what  it  was,  an  "  evil  deed  in  a  naughty 
world  ;"  for,  notwithstanding  the  high  authority  of  Shak- 
speare,  it  is  your  "evil  deeds,"  after  all,  that  produce  the 
brightest  blazes,  and  which  throw  the-ir  beams  the  farthest, 
in  this  state  of  probation  in  which  we  live. 

The  most  remarkable  objects  in  that  remarkable  scene 
were  the  true  and  the  false  redskins — the  "  Indians"  and  the 
"  Injius" — both  of  whom  were  in  motion  on  the  meadows, 
and  both  of  whom  were  distinctly  visible  to  us  where  wa 
gtood,  on  the  cliffs  (the  ladies  being  at  their  chamber  win- 


THE     REDSKINS.  363 

dows),  though  I  dare  say  they  were  not  quite  so  obvious  to 
each  other. 

The  Indians  had  formed  themselves  into  a  very  open 
order,  and  were  advancing  towards  the  other  party  in  a 
stealthy  manner,  by  creeping  on  all-fours,  or  crouching  like 
catamounts  to  the  earth,  and  availing  themselves  of  every 
thing  like  a  cover  that  offered.  The  burning  barn  was  be- 
tween  the  two  parties,  and  was  a  principal  reason  that  the 
"  Injins"  were  not  sooner  aware  of  the  risk  they  ran.  The 
last  were  a  whooping,  shouting,  dancing,  leaping  band,  of 
some  forty  or  fifty  of  the  "  disguised  and  armed,"  who  were 
quite  near  enough  to  the  conflagration  to  enjoy  it,  without 
being  so  near  as  to  be  necessarily  connected  with  it.  We 
understood  their  presence  and  antics  to  be  intended  as  so 
many  intimations  of  the  secret  agency  they  had  had  in  the 
depredations  of  the  night,  and  as  so  many  warnings  how  I 
withstood  the  "spirit  of  the  Institutions." 

Manytongues,  who  had  certain  vague  notions  of  the  ne 
cessity  of  his  keeping  on  the  windy  side  of  the  law,  did  not 
accompany  his  red  brethren,  but  came  through  the  gateway 
and  joined  my  uncle  and  myself,  as  we  stood  beneath  the 
cover  of  a  noble  chestnut,  on  the  verge  of  the  cliff,  watching 
the  course  of  things  on  the  meadow.  I  expressed  my  sur 
prise  at  seeing  him  there,  and  inquired  if  his  presence  might 
not  be  needed  by  Flintyheart  or  Prairiefire. 

"Not  at  all,  not  at  all,  Colonel,"  he  answered  with  per 
fect  coolness.  "  The  savages  have  no  great  need  of  an 
intarpreter  in  the  business  they  are  on ;  and  if  harm  comes 
of  the  meetin',  it's  perhaps  best  that  the  two  parties  should 
not  understand  each  other,  in  which  case  it  might  all  be 
looked  on  as  an  accident.  I  hope  they'll  not  be  particular 
about  scalps, — for  I  told  Flintyheart,  as  he" was  leaving  us, 
the  people  of  this  part  of  the  world  did  not  like  to  be 
scalped." 

This  was  the  only  encouragement  we  received  from  the 
interpreter,  who  appeared  to  think  that  matters  were  now 
in  the  right  train,  and  that  every  difficulty  would  soon  be 
disposed  of,  secvndum  artem.  The  Injins,"however,  viewed 
tho  affair  differently,  having  no  wish  for  a  serious  brush 
with  any  one ;  much  less  with  enemies  of  the  known  cha- 
-acter  of  red-skins.  How  they  ascertained  the  presence  of 


364  THE     REDSKINS. 

their  foe  I  cannot  say,  though  it  is  probable  some  one  saw 
them  stealing  along  the  meadows,  in  spite  of  all  their  care, 
and  gave  the  alarm.  Alarm  it  was,  sure  enough;  the  party 
of  the  previous  day  scarce  retreating  through  the  woods 
with  greater  haste  than  the  "  disguised  and  armed"  now 
vanished. 

Such  has  been  the  fact,  as  respects  these  men,  in  every 
instance  in  which  they  have  been  brought  in  contact  with 
"armed  bodies,  though  much  inferior  to  their  own  in  numbers. 
Fierce  enough,  and  even  brutal,  on  a  variety. of  occasions 
in  which  individuals  have  become  subject  to  their  power,  in 
all  cases  in  which  armed  parties,  however  small,  have  been 
sent  against  them,  they  have  betrayed  timidity  and  a  dread 
of  making  that  very  appeal  to  force,  which,  by  their  own 
previous  acts,  they  had  insolently  invited.  Is  it  then  true, 
that  these  soi-disant  '*  Injins"  have  not  the  ordinary  courage 
of  their  race,  and  that  they  are  less  than  Americans,  with 
arms  in  their  hands,  and  below  the  level  of  all  around  them 
in  spirit  ?  Such  is  not  the  case.  The  consciousness  of  guilt 
has  made  them  cowards  ;  they  have  found  "  that  the  king's 
name  is  a  tower  of  strength,"  and  have  shrunk  from  con 
flicts,  in  which  the  secret  warnings  that  come  from  on  high 
have  told  them  that  they  were  embodied  in  a  wicked  cause, 
and  contending  for  the  attainment  of  wrong  ends  by  unjus 
tifiable  means.  Their  conduct  proves  how  easy  it  would 
have  been  to  suppress  their  depredations  at  the  earliest  day, 
by  a  judicious  application  of  the  power  of  the  State,  and  how 
much  they  have  to  answer  for  who  have  neglected  their  duty 
in  this  particular. 

As  soon  as  Flintyheart  and  his  followers  ascertained  tha 
the  "  disguised  and  armed"  were  actually  off  again,  and  that 
they  were  hot  to  pass  the  morning  in  a  skirmish,  as  no  doubt 
each  man  among  them  had  hoped  would  to  be  the  case,  they 
set  up  such  whoops  and  cries  as  had  not  been  heard  on 
those  meadows  during  the  last  eighty  years.  The  period 
went  beyond  the  memory  of  man  since  Indian  warfare  had 
existed  at  Ravensnest,  a  few  false  alarms  in  the  revolution 
excepted.  The  effect  of  these  yells  was  to  hasten  the  re 
treat,  as  was  quite  apparent  to  us  on  the  cliffs  ;  but  the  saga 
cious  warriors  of  the  Prairies  knew  too  much  to  expose  their 
persons  by  approaching  nearer  to  the  blazing  barn  than 


THE     REDSKINS.  365 

might  be  prudent.  On  the  contrary,  seemingly  satisfied 
that  nothing  was  to  be  done,  and  disdaining  a  parade  of 
service  where  no  service  was  to  be  effected,  they  slowly  re 
tired  from  the  meadows,  regaining  the  cliffs  by  means 
known  to  themselves. 

This  military  demonstration,  on  the  part  of  our  red 
brethren,  was  not  without  its  useful  consequences.  It  gave 
the  "  Injins"  an  intimation  of  watchfulness,  and  of  a  readi 
ness  to  meet  them  that  prevented  any  new  alarm  that  night, 
and  satisfied  everybody  at  the  Nest  that  our  immediate  dan 
ger  had  come  to  an  end.  Not  only  was  this  the  feeling  of 
my  uncle  and  myself,  but  it  was  also  the  feeling  of  the  fe 
males,  as  we  found  on  returning  to  the  house,  who  had  wit 
nessed  all  that  passed  from  the  upper  windows.  After  a 
short  interview  with  my  grandmother,  she  consented  to 
retire,  and  preparations  were  made  for  settirTg  a  look-out, 
and  dismissing  everybody  to  their  beds  again.  Many- 
tongues  took  charge  of  the  watch,  though  he  laughed  at  the 
probability  of  there  being  any  further  disturbance  that 
night.  . 

"  As  for  the  redskins,"  he  said,  "  they  would  as  soon 
sleep  out  under  the  trees,  at  this  season  of  the  year,  as  sleep 
under  a  roof;  and  as  for  waking — cats  a'nt  their  equals. 
No — no — Colonel ;  leave  it  all  to  me,  and  I'll  carry  you 
through  the  night  as  quietly  as  if  we  were  on  the  prer-ies 
and  living  under  good  wholesome  prer-ie  law." 

"  As  quietly,  as  if  we  were  on  the  prairies  !"  We  had 
then  reached  that  pass  in  New  York,  that  after  one  burning, 
a  citizen  might  really  hope  to  pass  the  remainder  of  his 
night  as  quietly  as  if  he  were  on  the  prairies  !  And  there 
was  that  frothy,  lumbering,  useless  machine,  called  a  gov 
ernment,  at  Albany,  within  fifty  miles  of  us,  as  placid,  as 
self-satisfied,  as  much  convinced  that  this  was  the  greatest 
people  on  earth,  and  itself  their  illustrious  representatives, 
as  if  the  disturbed  counties  were  so  many  gardens  of  Eden, 
before  sin  and  transgression  had  become  known  to  it !  If 
it  was  doing  anything  in  the  premises,  it  was  probably 
calculating  the  minimum  the  tenant  should  pay  for  the 
landlord's  land,  when  the  latter  might  be  sufficiently  wor 
ried  to  part  with  his  estate.  Perhaps,  it  was  illustrating  its 
notions  of  liberty,  by  naming  the  precise  sum  that  one  citi- 
31* 


366  THE     REDSKINS. 

zen  ought  to  accept,  in  order  that  the  covetous  longings  of 
another  should  be  satisfied  ! 

I  was  about  to  retire  to  my  bed,  for  the  first  time  tha 
night,  when  my  uncle  Ro  remarked  it  might  be  well  to  see 
one  of  our  prisoners  at  least.  Orders  had  been  given  to 
unbind  the  wretched  men,  and  to  keep  them  in  an  empty 
store-room,  which  had  no  available  outlet  but  the  door 
Thither  we  then  repaired,  and  of  course  were  admitted  by 
the  sentinels,  without  a  question.  Seneca  Newcome  was 
startled  at  my  appearance,  and  I  confess  I  was  myself  em 
barrassed  how  to  address  him,  from  a  wish  to  say  nothing 
that  might  appear  like  exultation  on  one  side,  or  concession 
on  the  other.  My  uncle,  however,  had  no  such  scruples, 
probably  from  better  knowing  his  man  ;  accordingly,  he 
came  to  the  point  at  once. 

"The  evit  spirit  must  have  got  great  ascendency  in  the 
country,  Seneca  Newcome,  when  men  of  your  knowledge, 
dip  so  deeply  into  his  designs,"  said  Mr.  Littlepage,  sternly. 
"  What  has  my  nephew  ever  done  to  incite  you  to  come  into 
his  house,  as  an  incendiary,  like  a  thief  in  the  night?" 

'*  Ask  me  no  questions,  Mr.  Littlepage,"  surlily  replied 
the  attorney,  "  for  I  shall  answer  none." 
•  "  And  this  miserable  misguided  creature  who  has  been 
your  companion.     The  last  we  saw  of  these  two  men,  Hugh, 
hey  were  quarrelling  in  the  highway,  like  cat  and  dog,  and 
there  are  signs  about  their  faces  that  the  interview  became 
still  more  hostile  than  it  had  been,  after  we  left  them." 

"  And  here  we  find  them  together,  companions  in  an  en- 
terprise  of  life  and  death  !" 

"  It  is  ever  thus  with  rogues.  They  will  push  their  quar 
rels  to  extremities,  and  make  them  up  in  an  hour,  when  the 
demon  of  rapine  points  to  an  object  for  common  plunder. 
You  see  the  same  spirit  in  politics,  ay,  and  even  in  religion. 
Men  that  have  lived  in  hostility,  for  half  their  lives,  con 
tending  for  selfish  objects,  will  suddenly  combine  their  pow 
ers  to  attain  a  common  end,  and  work  together  like  the 
most  true-hearted  friends,  so  long  as  they  see  a  chance  of 
effecting  their  wishes.  If  honesty  were  only  one-half  as 
active  as  roguery,  it  would  fare  belter  than  it  does.  But  the 
honest  man  has  his  scruples ;  his  self-respect;  his  consis 
tcncy,  and  most  of  all  his  principles,  to  mark  out  his  course. 


THE    REDSKINS. 

and  he  cannot  turn  aside  at  each  new  impulse,  like  youi 
pure  knave  to  convert  enemies  into  friends,  and  friends  into 
enemies.  And  you,"  turning  to  Josh  Brigham,  who  was 
looking  surlily  on — "  who  have  actually  been  eating  Hugh 
Littlepage's  bread,  what  has  he  done,  that  you  should  come 
at  midnight,  to  burn  him  up  like  a  caterpillar  in  the 
spring?" 

"  He  has  had  his  farm  long  enough" — muttered  the  fel 
low — "  it's  time  that  poor  folks  had  some  chance." 

My  uncle  shrugged  his  shoulders  ;  then,  as  if  he  suddenly 
recollected  himself,  he  lifted  his  hat,  bowed  like  a  thorough 
bred  gentleman  as  he  was,  when  he  chose  to  be,  wished 
Seneca  good  night,  and  walked  away.  As  we  retired,  he 
expressed  his  conviction  of  the  uselessness  of  remonstrance, 
in  this  case,  and  of  the  necessity  of  suffering  the  law  to  take 
its  own  course.  It  might  be  unpleasant  to  see  a  Newcome 
actually  hanged,  but  nothing  short  of  that  operation,  he  felt 
persuaded  would  ever  fetch  up  the  breed  in  its  evil  courses. 
Wearied  with  all  that  had  passed,  I  now  went  to  bed,  and 
slept  soundly  for  the  succeeding  seven  hours.  As  the  house 
was  kept  quiet  by  orders,  everybody  repaired  the  lost  time, 
the  Nest  being  as  quiet  as  in  those  days  in  which  the  law 
ruled  in  the  republic. 


368  THE     REDSKINS. 


CHAPTER  XXIT, 

«  Well  may  we  sing  her  beautie? 

This  pleasant  land  of  ours, 
Her  sunny  smiles,  her  golden  fruits, 

And  all  her  world  of  flowers. 
And  well  would  they  persuade  us  nowr 

In  moments  all  too  dear, 
That,  sinful  though  our  hearts  may  be, 
We  have  our  Eden  here." 

SIMMS. 

THE  following  day  was  Sunday.  I  did  not  rise  uniif 
nine,  and  when  I  withdrew  the  curtains  and  opened  the  shut 
ters  of  my  window,  and  looked  out  upon  the  lawn,  and  the 
fields  beyond  it,  and  the  blue  void  that  canopied  all,  I  thought 
a  lovelier  day,  or  one  more  in  harmony  with  the  tranquil 
character  of  the  whole  scene,  never  shone  from  the  heavens. 
I  threw  up  the  sash,  and  breathed  the  morning  air  which 
filled  my  dressing-room,  pregnant  with  the  balms  and  odours 
of  the  hundred  sweet-smelling  flowers  and  plants  that  em- 
bellished  the  shrubberies.  The  repose  of  the  Sabbath  seemed 
to  rest  on  man  and  beast ;  the  bees  and  humming-birds  that 
buzzed  about  the  flowers,  even  at  their  usual  pursuits  seemed 
as  if  conscious  of  the  sanctity  of  the  day.  I  think  no  one 
can  be  insensible  to  the  difference  there  is  between  a  Sabbath 
in  the  country  and  any  other  day  of  the  week.  Most  of 
this,  doubtless,  is  the  simple  consequence  of  abstaining  from 
labour;  but,  connected  with  the  history  of  the  festival,  its 
usual  observances,  and  the  holy  calm  that  appears  to  reign 
around,  it  is  so  very  obvious  and  impressive,  that  a  Sunday 
in  a  mild  day  in  June,  is  to  me  ever  a  delicious  resting-place, 
as  a  mere  poetical  pause  in  the  bustling  and  turmoil  of  this 
world's  time.  Such  a  day  was  that  which  succeeded  the 
night  through  which  we  had  just  passed,  and  it  came  most 
opportunely  to  soothe  the  spirits,  tranquillize  the  apprehen 
sions,  and  afford  a  moment  for  sober  reflection. 

There  lay  the  smouldering  ruins  of  the  barn,  it  is  true; 
a  blackened  monument  of  a  wicked  deed;  but  the  mood 


THE     REDSKINS.  369 

which  had  produced  this  waste  and  wrong  appeared  to  have 
passed  away ;  and,  in  all  other  respects,  far  and  near,  the 
farms  of  Ravensnest  had  never  spread  themselves  before  the 
eye  in  colours  more  in  consonance  with  the  general  bene 
volence  of  a  bountiful  nature.  For  a  moment,  as  I  gazed 
on  the  broad  view,  I  felt  all  my  earlier  interests  in  it  revive, 
and  am  not  ashamed  to  own  that  a  profound  feeling  of  gra 
titude  to  God  came  over  me  when  I  recollected  it  was  by  his 
Providence  I  was  born  the  heir  to  such  a  scene,  instead  of 
having  my  lot  cast  among  the  serfs  and  dependants  of  other 
regions. 

After  standing  at  the  window  a  minute,  in  contemplation 
of  that  pleasing  view,  I  drew  back,  suddenly  and  painfully 
conscious  of  the  character  and  extent  of  the  combination  that 
existed  to  rob  me  of  my  rights  in  it.  America  no  longer 
seemed  America  to  my  eyes ;  but,  in  place  of  its  ancient 
submission  to  the  law,  its  quick  distinction  between  right 
and  wrong,  its  sober  and  discriminating  liberty,  which 
equally  avoided  submission  to  the  injustice  of  power,  and  the 
excesses  of  popular  delusion,  there  had  been  substituted  the 
rapacity  of  the  plunderer,  rendered  formidable  by  the  insi 
dious  manner  in  which  it  was  interwoven  with  political  ma 
chinery,  and  the  truckling  of  the  wretches  entrusted  with 
authority ;  men  who  were  playing  into  the  hands  of  dema 
gogues,  solely  in  order  to  secure  majorities  to  perpetuate 
their  own  influence.  Was,  then,  the  State  really  so  corrupt 
as  to  lend  itself  to  projects  as  base  as  those  openly  main 
tained  by  the  anti-renters  ?  Far  from  it :  four  men  out  of 
five,  if  not  a  larger  proportion,  must  be,  and  indeed  are,  sen 
sible  of  the  ills  that  their  success  would  entail  on  the  com 
munity,  and  would  lift  up  heart  and  hand  to-morrow  to  put 
them  down  totally  and  without  pity  ;  but  they  have  made 
themselves  slaves  of  the  lamp  ;  have  enlisted  in  the  ranks 
of  party,  and  dare  not  oppose  their  leaders,  who  wield  them 
as  Napoleon  wielded  his  masses,  to  further  private  views, 
apostrophizing  and  affecting  an  homage  to  liberty  all  the 
while  !  Such  is  the  history  of  man  ! 

When  the  family  met  in  the  breakfast-room,  a  singular 
tranquillity  prevailed  among  us.  As  for  my  grandmother,  I 
knew  her  spirit  and  early  experience,  and  was  not  so  much 
surprised  to  find  her  calm  and  reasonable ;  but  these  quali. 


370  THE     REDSKINS. 

ties  seemed  imparted  to  her  four  young  companions  also, 
Patt  could  laugh,  and  yield  to  her  buoyant  spirits,  just  tho 
same  as  if  nothing  had  occurred,  while  my  uncle's  other 
wards  maintained  a  lady-like  quiet,  that  denoted  anything 
but  apprehension.  Mary  Warren,  however,  surprised  me 
by  her  air  and  deportment.  There  she  sat,  in  her  place  at 
the  table,  looking,  if  possible,  the  most  feminine,  gentle,  and 
timid  of  the  four.  I  could  scarcely  believe  that  the  blushing, 
retiring,  modest  pretty  daughter  of  the  rector  could  be  tho 
prompt,  decided,  and  clear-headed  young  girl  who  had  been 
of  so  much  service  to  me  the  past  night,  and  to  whose  cool 
ness  and  discretion,  indeed,  we  were  all  indebted  for  the  roof 
that  was  over  our  heads,  and  some  of  us,  most  probably,  for 
our  lives. 

Notwithstanding  this  air  of  tranquillity,  the  breakfast  was 
a  silent  and  thoughtful  meal.  Most  of  the  conversation  was 
between  my  uncle  and  grandmother,  and  a  portion  of  it  re 
lated  to  the  disposal  of  the  prisoners.  There  was  no  magis 
trate  within  several  miles  of  the  Nest,  but  those  who  were 
tainted  with  anti-rentism ;  and  to  carry  Seneca  and  his  com 
panion  before  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  this  character,  would 
be,  in  effect,  to  let  them  go  at  large.  Nominal  bail  would 
be  taken,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  the  constable  em 
ployed  would  have  suffered  a  rescue,  did  they  even  deem  it 
necessary  to  go  through  this  parade  of  performing  their  du 
ties.  My  uncle,  consequently,  adopted  the  following  plan. 
He  had  caused  the  two  incendiaries  to  be  transferred  to  the 
old  farm-house,  which  happened  to  contain  a  perfectly  dry 
and  empty  cellar,  and  which  had  much  of  the  security  of  a 
dungeon,  without  the  usual  defects  of  obscurity  and  damp- 
ness.  The  red-men  had  assumed  the  office  of  sentinels,  one 
having  his  station  at  the  door,  while  another  watched  near 
a  window  which  admitted  the  light,  while  it  was  scarcely 
large  enough  to  permit  the  human  body  to  squeeze  through 
it.  The  interpreter  had  received  instructions  from  the  agent 
to  respect  the  Christian  Sabbath ;  and  no  movement  being 
contemplated  for  the  day,  this  little  duty  just  suited  their 
lounging,  idle  habits,  when  in  a  state  of  rest.  Food  and 
water,  of  course,  had  not  been  forgotten ;  and  there  my 
uncle  Ro  had  left  that  portion  of  the  business,  intending  to 
have  the  delinquents  carried  to  a  distant  magistrate,  one  of 


THE    REDSKINS.  371 

the  Judges  of  the  County,  early  on  Monday  morning.  As 
for  the  disturbers  of  the  past  night,  no  signs  of  them  were 
any  longer  visible ;  and  there  being  little  extensive  cover 
near  the  Nest,  no  apprehension  was  felt  of  any  surprise. 

We  were  still  at  breakfast,  when  the  tone  of  St.  Andrew's 
bell  came  floating,  plaintively,  through  the  air,  as  a  sum 
mons  to  prepare  ourselves  for  the  services  of  the  day.  It 
was  little  more  than  a  mile  to  the  church,  and  the  younger 
ladies  expressed  a  desire  to  walk.  My  grandmother,  at 
tended  by  her  son,  therefore,  alone  used  the  carriage,  while 
we  young  people  went  off  in  a  body,  on  foot,  half  an  hour 
before  the  ringing  of  the  second  bell.  Considering  the  state 
of  the  country,  and  the  history  of  the  past  night,  I  was 
astonished  at  my  own  indifference  on  this  occasion,  no  less 
than  at  that  of  my  charming  companions ;  nor  was  it  long 
before  I  gave  utterance  to  the  feeling. 

"  This  America  of  ours  is  a  queer  place,  it  must  be  ad 
mitted,"  I  cried,  as  we  crossed  the  lawn  to  take  a  foot-path 
that  would  lead  us,  by  pleasant  pastures,  quite  to  the  church- 
door  without  entering  the  high-way,  except  to  cross  it  once ; 
*  here  we  have  the  whole  neighbourhood  as  tranquil  as  if 
crime  never  disturbed  it,  though  it  is  not  yet  a  dozen  hours 
since  riot,  arson,  and  perhaps  murder,  were  in  the  contem 
plation  of  hundreds  of  those  who  live  on  every  side  of  us. 
The  change  is  wonderful !" 

"  But,  you  will  remember  it  is  Sunday,  Hugh,"  put  in 
Patt.  "  All  summer,  when  Sunday  has  come,  we  have  had 
a  respite  from  disturbances  and  fears.  In  this  part  of  the 
country,  the  people  are  too  religious  to  think  of  desecrating 
the  Sabbath  by  violence  and  armed  bands.  The  anti-renters 
would  lose  more  than  they  would  gain  by  pursuing  a  differ 
cnt  course." 

I  had  little  or  no  difficulty  in  believing  this,  it  being  no 
unusual  thing,  among  us,  to  find  observances  of  this  nature 
clinging  to  the  habits  of  thousands,  long  after  the  devout 
feeling  which  had  first  instilled  it  into  the  race  has  become 
extinct.  Something  very  like  it  prevails  in  other  countries, 
and  among  even  higher  and  more  intellectual  classes,  where  it 
is  no  unusual  thing  to  find  the  most  profound  outward  respect 
manifested  towards  the  altar  and  its  rites,  by  men  who  live 
n  the  hourly  neglect  of  the  first  and  plainest  commaadfr  of 


372  THE     REDSKINS. 

the  decalogue.  We  are  not  aione,  therefore,  in  this  phari 
saical  spirit,  which  exists,  in  some  mode  or  other,  wherevej 
man  himself  is  to  be  found. 

But,  this  equivocal  piety  was  certainly  manifested  to  a 
striking  degree,  that  day,  at  Ravensnest.  The  very  men 
who  were  almost  desperate  in  their  covetous  longings  ap 
peared  at  church,  and  went  through  the  service  with  as 
much  seeming  devotion  as  if  conscious  of  no  evil ;  and  a 
general  truce  appeared  to  prevail  in  the  country,  notwith 
standing  there  must  have  been  much  bitterness  of  feeling 
among  the  discomfited.  Nevertheless,  I  could  detect  in  the 
countenances  of  many  of  the  old  tenants  of  the  family,  an 
altered  expression,  and  a  coldness  of  the  eye,  which  bespoke 
anything  but  the  ancient  friendly  feeling  which  had  so  long 
existed  between  us.  The  solution  was  very  simple  ;  dema 
gogues  had  stirred  up  the  spirit — not  of  the  Institutions,  but 
— of  covetousness,  in  their  breasts;  and  so  long  as  that  evil 
tendency  predominated,  there  was  little  room  for  better 
feelings. 

"  Now,  I  shall  have  another  look  at  the  canopied  pew," 
I  cried,  as  we  entered  the  last  field,  on  our  way  to  the 
church.  "  That  offensive,  but  unoffending,  object  had 
almost  gone  out  of  my  mind's  eye,  until  my  uncle  recol 
lected  it,  by  intimating  that  Jack  Dunning,  as  he  calls  his 
friend  and  council,  had  written  him  it  must  come  down." 

"  I  agree  with  Mr.  Dunning  altogether,"  answered  Mar 
tha,  quickly.  "  I  wish  with  all  my  heart,  Hugh,  you  would 
order  that  hideous-looking  thing  to  be  taken  away  this  very 
week." 

"  Why  this  earnestness,  my  dear  Patt?  There  has  the 
hideous  thing  been  ever  since  the  church  was  built,  which 
is  now  these  three-score  years,  and  no  harm  has  come  of 
it,  as  I  know." 

"  It  is  harm  to  be  so  ugly.  It  disfigures  the  church ; 
and  then  I  do  not  think  distinctions  of  that  sort  are  proper 
for  the  house  of  God.  I  know  this  ever  has  been  my 
grandmother's  opinion  ;  but  finding  her  father-in-law  and 
husband  desirous  of  such  an  ornament,  she  consented  in 
silence,  during  their  lives." 

"  What  do  you  say  to  all  this,  Miss  Warren,"  I  asked 
turning  to  my  companion,  for  by  some  secret  influence  1 


THE     REDSKINS.  373 

was  walking  at  her  side.  "  Are  you  '  up  canopy'  or  *  down 
canopy' ? " 

"  '  Down  canopy,'  "  answered  Mary,  firmly.  "  I  am  of 
Mrs.  Littlepage's  opinion,  that  churches  ought  to  contain  as 
little  as  possible  to  mark  worldly  distinctions.  Such  dis 
tinctions  are  inseparable  from  life,  I  know ;  but  it  is  to  pre 
pare  for  death  that  we  enter  such  buildings/'' 

"  And  your  father,  Miss  Warren  —  have  you  ever  heard 
him  speak  of  my  unfortunate  pew  ?" 

Mary  hesitated  an  instant,  changed  colour,  then  looked 
up  into  my  face  with  a  countenance  so  ingenuous  and 
lovely,  that  I  would  have  forgiven  her  even  a  severe  com 
ment  on  some  act  of  folly  of  my  own. 

"  My  father  is  an  advocate  for  doing  away  with  pews 
altogether,"  she  answered,  "and,  of  course,  can  have  no 
particular  wish  to  preserve  yours.  He  tells  me,  that  in  the 
churches  of  the  Romanists,  the  congregation  sit,  stand,  or 
kneel,  promiscuously  before  the  altar,  or  crowd  around  the 
pulpit,  without  any  distinctions  of  rank  or  persons.  Surely, 
that  is  better  than  bringing  into  the  very  temple  the  most 
pitiful  of  all  worldly  classifications,  that  of  mere  money." 

"  It  is  better,  Miss  Warren ;  and  I  wish,  with  all  my 
heart,  the  custom  could  be  adopted  here.  But  the  church 
that  might  best  dispense  with  the  support  obtained  from 
pews,  and  which,  by  its  size  and  architecture,  is  best  fitted 
to  set  the  example  of  a  new  mode,  has  gone  on  in  the  old 
way,  I  understand,  and  has  its  pews  as  well  as  another." 

"  Do  we  get  our  custom  from  England,  Hugh?"  demand 
ed  Martha. 

"Assuredly;  as  we  do  most  others,  good,  bad  and  indif 
ferent.  The  property-notion  would  be  very  akely  to  prevail 
in  a  country  like  England  ;  and  then  it  is  not  absolutely  true 
that  everybody  sits  in  common,  even  in  the  churches  of  the 
continent  of  the  old  world.  The  Seigneur,  under  the  old 
regime,  in  France,  had  his  pew,  usually ;  and  high  dignita 
ries  of  the  State  in  no  country  are  found  mingling  with  the 
mass  of  worshippers,  unless  it  be  in  good  company.  It  is 
true,  a  duchesse  will  kneel  in  the  crowd,  in  most  Romish 
churches,  in  the  towns,  for  there  are  too  many  such  persons 
to  accommodate  all  with  privileged  seats,  and  such  honours 
are  reserved  for  the  very  great ;  but  in  the  country,  there 
32 


374  THE     REDSKINS. 

are  commonly  pews,  in  by-places,  for  the  great  personages 
of  the  neighbourhood.  VVe  are  not  quite  so  bad  as  we  fancy 
ourselves,  in  this 'particular,  though  we  might  be  better." 

"  But,  you  will  allow  that  a  canopied  pew  is  unsuited  to 
this  country,  brother?" 

"  Not  more  to  this,  than  to  any  other.  I  agree  that  it  is 
unsuited  to  all  places  of  worship,  where  the  petty  differences 
between  men,  which  are  created  by  their  own  usages,  should 
sink  into  insignificance,  in  the  direct  presence,  as  it  might 
be,  of  the  power  of  God.  But,  in  this  country,  I  find  a 
spirit  rising,  which  some  persons  would  call  the  *  spirit  of 
the  Institutions,'  that  is  for  ever  denying  men  rewards,  and 
honours,  and  credit  exactly  in  the  degree  in  which  they  de 
serve  them.  The  moment  a  citizen's  head  is  seen  above  the 
crowd  of  faces  around  him,  it  becomes  the  mark  of  rotten 
eggs,  as  if  he  were  raised  in  the  pillory,  and  his  fellow- 
creatures  would  not  tolerate  any  difference  in  moral  stature." 

"  How  do  you  reconcile  that  with  the  great  number  of 
Catos,  and  Brutuses,  not  to  say  of  the  Gracchi,  that  are  to 
be  found  among  us?"  asked  Mary  Warren,  slily. 

"  Oh  !  these  are  the  mere  creatures  of  party — great  men 
for  the  nonce.  They  are  used  to  serve  the  purposes  of  fac 
tions,  and  are  be-greated  for  the  occasion.  Thus  it  is,  that 
nine-tenths  of  the  Catos  you  mention,  are  forgotten,  even  by 
name,  every  political  lustrum.  But  let  a  man  rise,  inde 
pendently  of  the  people,  by  his  own  merit,  and  see  how  the 
people  will  tolerate  him.  Thus  it  is  with  my  pew — it  is  a 
great  pew,  and  become  great  without  any  agency  of  the 
«  folks  ;'  and  the  «  folks'  don't  like  it." 

The  girls  laughed  at  this  sally,  as  light-hearted,  happy 
girls  will  laugh  at  anything  of  the  sort;  and  Patt  put  in  her 
retort,  in  her  own  direct,  spirited  manner. 

"  It  is  a  great  ugly  thing,  if  that  concession  will  flatter 
your  vanity,"  she  said,  "and  I  do  entreat  it  may  come 
down  greatly,  this  present  week.  Really,  you  can  have  no 
notion,  Hugh,  how  much  talk  it  has  made  of  late." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,  my  dear.  The  talk  is  all  aimed  a 
the  leases ;  everything  that  can  be  thought  of,  being  dragged 
into  the  account  against  us  poor  landlords,  in  order  to  ren 
der  our  cause  unpopular,  and  thus  increase  the  chances  of 
•x>bbing  us  with  impunity.  The  good,  people  of  this  State 


THE     REDSKINS.  375 

little  imagine  that  the  very  evil  that  the  enemies  of  the  in 
stitutions  have  long  predicted,  and  which  their  friends  have 
as  warmly  repudiated,  are  now  actively  at  work  among  us, 
and  that  the  great  experiment  is  in  imminent  danger  of 
failing,  at  the  very  moment  the  people  are  loudly  exulting 
in  its  success.  Let  this  attempt  on  property  succeed,  ever 
so  indirectly,  AND  IT  WILL  BE  FOLLOWED  UP  BY  OTHERS, 

WHICH  WILL  AS  INEVITABLY  DRIVE  US  INTO  DESPOTISM,  AS 
A  KEFUGE  AGAINST  ANARCHY,  AS  EFFECT  SUCCEEDS  TO 

CAUSE.  The  danger  exists,  now,  in  its  very  worst  form- 
that  of  political  demagogueism — and  must  be  met,  face  to 
face,  and  put  down  manfully,  and  on  true  principles,  or,  in 
my  poor  judgment,  we  are  gone.  Cant  is  a  prevailing  vice 
of  the  nation,  more  especially  political  and  religious  cant, 
and  cant  can  never  be  appeased  by  concessions.  My  cano 
py  shall  stand,  so  long  as  anti-rentism  exists  at  Ravensnest, 
or  be  torn  down  by  violence ;  when  men  return  to  their 
senses,  and  begin  to  see  the  just  distinctions  between  meum 
and'lui/m,  the  cook  may  have  it  for  oven-wood,  any  day  in 
the  week." 

As  we  were  now  about  to  cross  the  stile  that  communi 
cated  with  the  highway,  directly  in  front  of  the  church,  the 
conversation  ceased,  as  unsuited  to  the  place  and  the  occa 
sion.  The  congregation  of  St.  Andrew's  was  small,  as  is 
usually  the  case  with  the  country  congregations  of  its  sect 
which  are  commonly  regarded  with  distrust  by  the  descend 
ants  of  the  Puritans  in  particular,  and  not  unfrequently  with 
strong  aversion.  The  rowdy  religion — half-cant,  half-blas 
phemy —  that  Cromwell  and  his  associates  entailed  on  so 
many  Englishmen,  but  which  was  not  without  a  degree  of 
ferocious,  narrow-minded  sincerity  about  it,  after  all,  has 
probably  been  transmitted  to  this  country,  with  more  of  its 
original  peculiarities  than  exist,  at  the  present  day,  in  any 
other  part  of  the  world.  Much  of  the  narrow-mindedness 
remains  ;  but,  unhappily,  when  liberality  does  begin  to  show 
itself  in  these  sects,  it  is  apt  to  take  the  character  of  latitu- 
dinarianism.  In  a  word,  the  exaggerations  and  false  prin 
ciples  that  were  so  common  among  the  religious  fanatics  of 
the  American  colonies  in  the  seventeenth  century,  which 
burnt  witches,  hanged  Quakers,  and  denounced  all  but  the 
elect  few,  are  now  running  their  natural  race,  with  the  goal 


376  THE     REDSKINS. 

of  infidelity  in  open  view  before  them.  Thus  will  it  be,  also, 
with  the  abuses  of  political  liberty,  which  must  as  certainly 
terminate  in  despotism,  unless  checked  in  season ;  such 
being,  not  the  "  spirit  of  the  Institutions,"  but  the  tendency 
of  human  nature,  as  connected  with  everything  in  which  the 
right  is  abandoned  to  sustain  the  wrong. 

Mr.  Warren,  I  found,  was  a  popular  preacher,  notwith 
standing  the  disfavour  with  which  his  sect  was  generally 
regarded.  A  prejudiced  and  provincial  people  was  natu 
rally  disposed  to  look  at  everything  that  differed  from  their 
own  opinions  and  habits  with  dislike;  and  the  simple  cir 
cumstance  that  he  belonged  to  a  church  that  possessed  bish 
ops,  was  of  itself  tortured  into  a  proof  that  his  sect  favoured 
aristocracy  and  privileged  classes.  It  is  true  that  nearly 
every  other  sect  in  the  country  had  orders  in  the  church, 
under  the  names  of  ministers,  elders,  and  deacons,  and  was 
just  as  liable  to  the  same  criticism ;  but  then  they  did  not 
possess  bishops,  and  having  that  which  we  do  not  happen  to 
have  ourselves,  usually  constitutes  the  gist  of  an  offence,  in 
cases  of  this  sort.  Notwithstanding  these  obstacles  to  popu 
larity,  Mr.  Warren  commanded  the  respect  of  all  around  him; 
and,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  none  the  less  because,  of  all 
the  clergy  in  that  vicinity,  he  alone  had  dared  to  rebuke  the 
spirit  of  covetousness  that  was  abroad,  and  which  it  suits  the 
morals  of  some  among  us  to  style  the  "  spirit  of  the  Institu 
tions  ;"  a  duty  he  had  discharged  on  more  than  one  occa 
sion,  with  great  distinctness  and  force,  though  temperately 
and  under  the  full  influence  of  a  profound  feeling  of  Chris 
tian  charity.  This  conscientious  course  had  given  rise  to 
menaces  and  anonymous  letters,  the  usual  recourse  of  the 
mean  and  cowardly ;  but  it  had  also  increased  the  weight 
of  his  character,  and  extorted  the  secret  deference  of  many 
who  would  gladly  have  entertained  a  different  feeling  towards 
him,  had  it  been  in  their  power. 

My  grandmother  and  uncle  were  already  seated  in  the 
canopied  pew  when  we  pedestrians  entered  the  church. 
Mary  Warren  turned  into  another  aisle,  and  proceeded  to 
the  pew  reserved  for  the  rector,  accompanied  by  my  sisfer, 
while  the  other  two  young  ladies  passed  up  to  the  chancel, 
and  took  their  customary  places.  I  followed,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  my  life  was  seated  beneath  the  offensive  canopy 


THE     REDSKINS.  377 

vested  with  all  the  rights  of  ownership.  By  tho,  term  "  cano 
py,"  however,  the  reader  is  not  to  imagine  anything  like 
festooned  drapery  —  crimson  colours  and  gilded  laces;  our 
ambition  had  never  soared  so  high.  The  amount  of  the  dis 
tinction  between  this  pew  and  any  other  in  the  church  was 
simply  this :  it  was  larger  and  more  convenient  than  those 
around  it,  an  advantage  which  any  other  might  have"  equally 
enjoyed  who  saw  fit  to  pay  for  it,  as  had  been  the  case  with 
us,  and  it  was  canopied  with  a  heavy,  clurmsy,  ill-shaped 
sort  of  a  roof,  that  was  a  perfect  caricature  of  the  celebrated 
baldachino  of  St.  Peter's,  in  Rome.  The  first  of  these  ad 
vantages  probably  excited  no  particular  envy,  for  it  came 
within  the  common  rule  of  the  country,  of"  play  and  pay;" 
but  as  for  the  canopy,  that  was  aristocratic,  and  was  not  to 
be  tolerated.  Like  the  leasehold  tenure,  it  was  opposed  to 
the  '  spirit  of  the  Institutions.'  It  is  true,  it  did  no  real  harm, 
as  an  existing  thing ;  it  is  true,  it  had  a  certain  use,  as  a 
memorial  of  past  opinions  and  customs ;  it  is  true,  it  was 
property,  and  could  not  be  touched  without  interfering  with 
its  privileges ;  it  is  true,  that  every  person  who  saw  it  se 
cretly  felt  there  was  nothing,  after  all,  so  very  inappropriate 
in  such  a  pew's  belonging  to  a  Littlepage ;  and,  most  of  all, 
it  was  true  that  they  who  sat  in  it  never  fancied  for  a  mo 
ment  that  it  made  them  any  better  or  any  worse  than  the 
rest  of  their  fellow-creatures.  There  it  was,  however ;  and, 
next  to  the  feudal  character  of  a  lease,  it  was  the  most 
offensive  object  then  existing  in  Ravensnest.  It  may  be 
questioned  if  the  cross,  which  occupied  the  place  that,  ac 
cording  to  provincial  orthodox}'',  a  weathercock  should  have 
adorned,  or  Mr.  Warren's  surplice,  was  oae-half  as  of 
fensive. 

When  I  raised  my  head,  after  the  private  devotions  which 
are  customary  with  us  semi-papishes,  on  entering  a  place 
of  worship,  and  looking  around  me,  I  found  that  the  build 
ing  was  crowded  nearly  to  overflowing.  A  second  glance 
told  me  that  nearly  every  eye  was  fastened  on  myself.  At 
first,  the  canopy  having  been  uppermost  so  lately  in  my 
mind,  I  fancied  that  the  looks  were  directed  at  that;  but  I 
soon  became  satisfied  that  I,  in  my  own  unworthy  person, 
was  their  object.  I  shall  not  stop  to  relate  most  of  the  idle 
and  silly  reports  that  had  got  abroad,  in  con^ction  with  tho 
32* 


378  THE     REDSKINS 

manner  ana  reason  of  my  disguised  appearance  in  the  ham 
let,  the  preceding  day,  or  in  connection  with  anything  else, 
though  one  of  those  reports  was  so  very  characteristic,  and 
so  entirely  peculiar  to  the  subject  in  hand,  that  I  cannot 
omit  it.  That  report  was  simply  a  rumour  that  I  had  caused 
one  of  my  own  barns  to  be  set  on  fire,  the  second  night  of 
my  arrival,  in  order  to  throw  the  odium  of  the  act  on  those 
"  virtuous  and  hard-working  husbandmen,"  who  only  main 
tained  an  illegal  and  armed  body  on  foot,  just  to  bully  and 
worry  me  out  of  my  property.  Yes,  there  I  sat ;  altogether 
unconscious  of  the  honour  done  me;  regarded  by  quite  half 
lhat  congregation  as  the  respected  and  just-minded  youth, 
who  had  devised  and  carried  out  precisely  such  a  rascally 
scheme.  Now,  no  one  who  has  not  had  the  opportunity  to 
compare,  can  form  any  idea  how  much  more  potent  and 
formidable  is  the  American  "  folks  say,"  than  the  vulgar 
reports  of  any  other  state  of  society.  The  French  on  dit  is 
a  poor,  pitiful  report,  placed  by  the  side  of  this  vast  lever, 
which,  like  that  of  Archimedes,  only  wants  a  stand  for  its 
fulcrum,  to  move  the  world.  The  American  "  folks  say" 
has  a  certain  omnipotence,  so  long  as  it  lasts,  which  arises 
from,  not  the  spirit,  but  the  character  of  the  institutions, 
themselves.  In  a  country  in  which  the  people  rule,  *  folks' 
are  resolved  that  their  'say'  shall  not  pass  for  nothing.  So 
few  doubt  the  justice  of  the  popular  decision,  that  holy  writ, 
itself,  has  not,  in  practical  effect,  one-half  the  power  that 
really  belongs  to  one  of  these  reports,  so  long  as  it  suits  the 
common  mind  to  entertain  it.  Few  dare  resist  it;  fewer 
still  call  in  question  its  accuracy;  though,  in  sober  truth, 
is  hardly  ever  right.  It  makes  and  unmakes  reputation,  for 
vhe  time  being  bien  entendu;  it  even  makes  and  unmakes 
patriots,  themselves.  In  short,  though  never  quite  truth, 
and  not  often  very  much  like  the  truth,  paradoxical  as  it 
may  appear,  it  is  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  pro  hac 
vice.  Everybody  knows,  nevertheless,  that  there  is  no  per 
manency  to  what  *«  folks  say"  about  anything ;  and  that 
*  folks'  frequently,  nay,  almost  invariably,  "  unsay"  what 
has  been  said  six  months  before;  yet,  all  submit  to  the  au 
thority  of  its  dicta>  so  long  as  '  folks'  choose  to  '  say.'  The 
only  exception  to  this  rule,  and  it  merely  proves  it,  is  in  the 
case  of  political  parties,  when  there  are  always  two  "  folks 


THE     REDSKINS.  379 

eay"  which  flatly  contradict  each  other;  and  sometimes 
there  are  half-a-dozen,  no  two  of  which  are  ever  precisely 
alike! 

There  I  sat,  as  I  afterwards  learned,  "  the  observed  of 
all  observers,"  merely  because  it  suited  the  purposes  of  those 
who  wished  to  get  away  my  estate  to  raise  various  reports  to 
my  prejudice, — not  one  of  which,  I  am  happy  to  have  it  in 
my  power  to  say,  was  in  any  manner  true.  The  first  good 
look  that  I  took  at  the  congregation  satisfied  me  that  very 
much  the  larger  part  of  it  consisted  of  those  who  did  not 
belong  to  St.  Andrew's  church.  Curiosity,  or  some  worse 
feeling,  had  trebled  the  number  of  Mr.  Warren's  hearers 
that  day, — or,  it  might  be  more  correct  to  say,  of  m/  ob 
servers. 

There  was  no  other  interruption  to  the  services  than  that 
which  was  produced  by  the  awkwardness  of  so  many  who 
were  strangers  to  the  ritual.  The  habitual  respect  paid  to 
religious  rites  kept  every  one  in  order;  and,  in  the  midst  of 
a  feeling  that  was  as  malignant  and  selfish  as  well  could 
exist  under  circumstances  of  so  little  provocation,  I  was  safe 
from  violence,  and  even  from  insult.  As  for  myself,  little 
was  or  could  be  known  of  my  character  and  propensities  at 
Ravensnest.  School,  college,  and  travelling,  with  winter 
residences  in  town,  had  made  me  a  sort  of  stranger  in  my 
own  domain,  and  I  was  regarded  through  the  covenants  of 
my  leases,  rather  than  through  any  known  facts.  The 
same  was  true,  though  in  a  less  degree,  with  my  uncle,  who 
had  lived  so  much  abroad  as  to  be  considered  a  sort  of  half 
foreigner,  and  one  who  preferred  other  countries  to  his  own. 
This  is  an  offence  that  is  rarely  forgiven  by  the  masses  in 
America,  though  it  is  probably  the  most  venial  sin  that  one 
who  has  had  the  opportunities  of  comparing  can  commit.  Old 
nations  offer  so  many  more  inducements  than  young  nations 
to  tempt  men  of  leisure  and  cultivation  to  reside  in  them, 
that  it  is  not  surprising  the  travelled  American  should  pre 
fer  Europe  to  his  own  quarter  of  the  world ;  but  the  jealousy 
of  a  provincial  people  is  not  apt  to  forgive  this  preference. 
For  myself,  I  have  heard  it  said,  and  I  believe  it  to  be  true, 
to  a  certain  extent,  that  countries  on  the  decline,  supposing 
them  to  have  been  onoe  at  the  summit  of  civilization,  make 
pleasanter  abodes  for  the  idler  than  nations  on  the  advance. 


380  THE     REDSKINS 

This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Italy  attracts  so  many  mor» 
visiters  than  England,  though  climate  must  pass  for  some 
thing  in  such  a  comparison.  But  these  long  absences,  and 
supposed  preferences  for  foreign  life,  had  made  my  uncle 
Ro,  in  one  sense,  unpopular  with  the  mass,  which  has  been 
taught  to  believe,  by  means  of  interested  and  fulsome  eulo 
gies  on  their  own  slate  of  society,  that  it  implies  something 
more  than  a  want  of  taste,  almost  a  want  of  principle,  to 
prefer  any  other.  This  want  of  popularity,  however,  was 
a  good  deal  relieved  by  a  .wide  and  deep  conviction  of  my 
uncle's  probity,  as  well  as  of  his  liberality,  his  purse  having 
no  more  string  to  it  than  General  Harrison's  door  was 
thought  to  have  of  a  latch.  But  the  case  was  very  different 
with  my  grandmother.  The  early  part  of  her  life  had  been 
spent  at  the  Nest,  and  it  was  impossible  so  excellent  a  wo 
man  could  be  anything  but  respected.  She  had,  in  truth, 
been  a  sore  impediment  with  the  anti-renters ;  more  espe 
cially  in  carrying  out  that  part  of  their  schemes  which  is 
connected  with  traduction,  and  its  legitimate  offspring,  pre 
judice.  It  would  hardly  do  to  traduce  this  noble-minded, 
charitable,  spirited,  and  just  woman  ;  yet,  hazardous  as  the 
experiment  must  and  did  seem,  it  was  attempted,  and  not 
altogether  without  success.  She  was  accused  of  an  aristo 
cratic  preference  of  her  own  family  to  the  families  of  other 
people.  Patt  and  I,  it  was  urged,  were  only  her  grand 
children,  and  had  ample  provision  made  for  us  in  other 
estates  besides  this, — and  a  woman  of  Mrs.  Littlepage's 
time  of  life,  it  was  said,  who  had  one  foot  in  the  grave, 
ought  to  have  too  much  general  philanthropy  to  give  a  pre 
ference  to  the  interests  of  mere  grandchildren,  over  the  inte 
rests  of  the  children  of  men  who  had  paid  her  husband  and 
sons  rent,  now,  for  quite  sixty  years.  This  attack  had 
come  from  the  pulpit,  too,  or  the  top  of  a  molasses  hogs 
head,  which  was  made  a  substitute  for  a  pulpit,  by  an  itine 
rant  preacher,  who  had  taken  a  bit  of  job-work,  in  which 
the  promulgation  of  the  tenets  of  the  gospel  and  those  of 
anti-rentism  was  the  great  end  in  view. 

As  I  have  said,  my  good  grandmother  suffered  somewhat 
in  public  estimation,  in  consequence  of  this  assault.  It  ia 
true,  had  any  one  openly  charged  the  circulators  of  this  silly 
calumny  with  their  offence,  they  \vr  jld  have  stoutly  denied 


THE     REDSKINS.  381 

it ;  but  it  was  none  the  less  certain  that  this  charge,  among 
a  hundred  others,  varying  from  it  only  in  degree,  and  not 
at  all  in  character,  was  industriously  circulated  in  order 
to  render  the  Littlepages  unpopular;  unpopularity  being 
among  us  the  sin  that  is  apt  to  entail  all  the  evil  consequences 
of  every  other  offence. 

The  reader  who  is  not  acquainted  with  the  interior  of  our 
social  habits,  must  not  suppose  that  I  am  colouring  for  effect. 
So  far  from  this,  I  am  quite  conscious  of  having  kept  the 
tone  of  the  picture  down,  it  being  an  undeniable  truth  that 
nothing  of  much  interest,  now-a-days,  is  left  to  the  simple 
decision  of  principles  and  laws,  in  this  part  of  the  country  at 
least.  The  supremacy  of  numbers  is  so  great,  that  scarce 
a  private  suit  of  magnitude  is  committed  to  a  jury  without 
attempts,  more  or  less  direct,  to  influence  the  common  mind 
in  favour  of  one  side  or  the  other,  in  the  hope  that  the  jurors 
will  be  induced  to  think  as  the  majority  thinks.  In  Europe, 
it  is  known  that  judges  were,  nay,  are,  visited  and  solicited 
by  the  parties  ;  but,  here,  it  is  the  public  that  must  be  treated 
in  the  same  way.  I  am  far  from  wishing  to  blazon  the  de 
fects  of  my  own  country,  and  I  know  from  observation,  that 
corresponding  evils,  differing  only  in  their  exterior  aspects, 
and  in  their  mode  of  acting,  exist  elsewhere;  but  these  are 
the  forms  in  which  some  of  our  defects  present  themselves, 
and  he  is  neither  a  friend  to  his  country,  nor  an  honest  man, 
who  wishes  them  to  be  bundled  up  and  cloaked,  instead  of 
being  exposed,  understood,  and  corrected.  This  notion  of 
4  nil  nisi  bene'  has  done  an  infinite  degree  of  harm  to  the 
country  ;  and,  through  the  country,  to  freedom. 

I  do  not  think  the  worship  of  the  temple  amounted  to  any 
great  matter  that  day  in  St.  Andrew's  Church,  Ravensnest. 
Quite  half  the  congregation  was  blundering  through  the 
liturgy,  and  every  man  who  lost  his  place  in  the  prayer- 
book,  or  who  could  not  find  it  at  all,  seemed  to  fancy  it  was 
quite  sufficient  for  the  ritual  of  us  semi-papists  if  he  kept  his 
eye  on  me  and  my  canopied  pew.  How  many  pharisees 
were  present,  who  actually  believed  that  ]  had  caused  my 
own  barn  to  be  burned,  in  order  to  throw  opprobrium  on  the 
*  virtuous,'  '  honest,'  and  *  hard-working'  tenants,  and  who 
gave  credit  to  the  stories  affecting  my  title,  and  all  the  rest 


382  THE    REDSKINS. 

of  the  stuff  that  calculating  cupidity  had  set  afloat  in  tho 
country,  I-  have  no  way  of  knowing  ;  but  subsequent  circum 
stances  have  given  me  reason  to  suppose  they  were  not  d 
few.  A  great  many  men  left  the  House  of  God  that  morn 
ing,  I  make  no  doubt,  whose  whole  souls  were  wrapped  up 
in  effecting  an  act  of  the  grossest  injustice,  professing  to 
themselves  to  thank  God  that  they  were  not  as  wicked  as 
the  being  whom  they  desired  to  injure. 

I  stopped  to  say  a  word  to  Mr.  Warren,  in  the  vestry- 
room,  after  the  people  were  dismissed,  for  he  had  not  passed 
the  night  with  us  at  the  Nest,  though  his  daughter  had 
After  we  had  said  a  word  about  the  occurrence  of  the  morn 
ing,  the  good  rector,  having  heard  a  rumour  of  the  arrest  of 
certain  incendiaries,  without  knowing  who  they  were,  I 
made  a  more  general  remark  or  two  previously  to  quitting 
the  place. 

"  Your  congregation  was  unusually  large  this  morning, 
sir,"  I  said,  smiling,  "  though  not  altogether  as  attentive  as 
it  might  have  been." 

"I  owe  it  to  your  return,  Mr.  Littlepage,  aided  by  the 
events  of  the  past  day  or  two.  At  one  moment  I  was  afraid 
that  some  secret  project  was  on  foot,  and  that  the  day  and 
place  might  be  desecrated  by  some  scene  of  disgraceful  vio 
lence.  All  has  gone  off  well  in  that  respect,  however,  and 
I  trust  that  no  harm  will  come  of  this  crowd.  We  Ameri 
cans  have  a  respect  for  sacred  things  which  will  ordinarily 
protect  the  temple." 

"  Did  you,  then,  think  St.  Andrew's  ran  any  risk  to-day, 
sir?" 

Mr.  Warren  coloured  a  little,  and  he  hesitated  an  instant 
before  he  answered. 

"You  doubtless  know,  young  sir,"  .he  said,  "  the  nature 
of  the  feeling  that  is  now  abroad  in  the  country.  With  a 
view  to  obtain  its  ends,  anti-rentism  drags  every  auxiliary 
it  can  find  into  its  ranks,  and,  among  other  things,  it  has 
assailed  your  canopied  pew.  I  own,  that,  at  first,  I  appre 
hended  some  assault  might  be  contemplated  on  that." 

"Let  it  come,  sir;  the  pew  shall  be  altered  on  a  general 
and  right  principle,  but  not  until  it  is  let  alone  by  envy, 
malice,  and  covetousness.  It  would  be  worse  to  make  a  con* 


THE     REDSKINS.  383 

cession  to  these  than  to  let  the  pew  stand  another  half  cen 
tury." 

With  these  words  in  my  mouth,  I  took  my  leave,  hasten 
ing  on  to  overtake  the  girls  in  the  fields. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


"  There  is  a  pure  republic  —  wild,  yet  strong  — 
A  « fierce  democracie,'  where  all  are  true 

To  what  themselves  have  voted, — right  or  wrong, 

And  to  their  laws  denominated  blue; 
(If  red,  they  might  to  Draco's  code  belong.) 

HALLECK. 

SUCH  was  my  haste  in  quitting  the  church,  that  I  did  not 
turn  to  the  right  or  the  left.  I  saw  the  light,  but  well- 
rounded  form  of  Mary  Warren  loitering  along  with  the  rest 
of  the  party,  seemingly  in  waiting  for  me  to  join  them ; 
and  crossing  the  road,  I  sprang  upon  the  stile,  and  thence 
to  the  ground,  coming  up  with  the  girls  at  the  next  instant. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  crowd,  Hugh?"  asked  my 
sister,  pointing  down  the  road  with  the  stick  of  her  parasol, 
as  she  put  the  question. 

•*  Crowd  !  I  have  seen  no  crowd.  Everybody  had  left 
the  church  before  I  quitted  it,  and  all  has  gone  off  peacea 
bly.  Ha !  sure  enough,  that  does  look  like  a  crowd  yonder 
in  the  highway.  It  seems  an  organized  meeting,  by  George  ! 
Yes,  there  is  the  chairman,  seated  on  the  upper  rail  of  the 
fence,  and  the  fellow  with  a  bit  of  paper  in  his  hand  is 
doubtless  the  secretary.  Very  American,  and  regular,  all 
that !  Some  vile  project  is  hatching,  I  '11  answer  for  it,  under 
the  aspect  of  an  expression  of  public  opinion.  See,  there  is 
a  chap  speaking,  and  gesticulating  manfully!" 

We  all  stopped,  for  a  moment,  and  stood  looking  at  the 
crowd,  which  really  had  all  the  signs  of  a  public  meeting 
about  it.  There  it  had  been,  the  girls  told  me,  ever  since 
they  had  quitted  the  church,  and  seemingly  engaged  much 
as  it  was  at  that  moment.  The  spectacle  was  curious,  and 
the  day  being  fine,  while  time  did  not  press,  we  lingered  in 


384  THE    REDSKINS. 

the  fields,  occasionally  stopping  to  look  behind  us,  and 
xvhat  was  going  on  in  the  highway. 

In  this  manner,  we  might  have  walked  half  the  distance 
to  the  Nest,  when,  on  turning  to  take  another  look,  we  per- 
ceived  that  the  crowd  had  dispersed ;  some  driving  off  in 
the  ever-recurring  one-horse  wagon,  some  on  horseback 
and  others  on  foot.  Three  men,  however,  were  walking 
fast  in  our  direction,  as  if  desirous  of  overtaking  us.  They 
had  already  crossed  the  stile,  and  were  on  the°path  in  the 
field,  a  route  rarely  or  never  taken  by  any  but  those  who 
desired  to  come  to  the  house.  Under  the  circumstances,  I 
determined  at  once  to  stop  and  wait  for  them.  First  feeling 
in  my  pocket,  and  making  sure  of  the  "  revolver,"  which  is 
getting  to -be  an  important  weapon,  now  that  private  battle* 
are  fought  not  only  "  yard-arm  and  yard-arm,"  but  by 
regular  "  broadsides,"  starboard  and  larboard,  I  intimated 
my  intention  to  the  girls. 

"  As  these  men  are  evidently  coming  in  quest  of  me,"  I 
remarked,  "  it  may  be  as  well,  ladies,  for  you  to  continue 
your  walk  towards  home,  while  I  wait  for  them  on  this 
stile." 

"  Very  true,"  answered  Patt.  "  They  can  have  little  to 
say  that  we  shall  wish  to  hear,  and  you  will  soon  overtake 
us.  Remember,  we  dine  at  two  on  Sundays.  Hugh ;  the 
evening  service  commencing  at  four,  in  this  month." 

"  No,  no,"  said  Mary  Warren,  hurriedly,  "  we  ought  not, 
cannot,  quit  Mr.  Littlepage.  These  men  may  do  him  some 
harm." 

I  was  delighted  with  this  simple,  natural  manifestation  of 
interest,  as  well  as  with  the  air  of  decision  with  which  it 
was  made.  Mary,  herself,  coloured  at  her  own  interest, 
but  did  not  the  less  maintain  the  ground  she  had  taken. 

"  Why,  of  what  use  can  we  be  to  Hugh,  dear,  even  ad 
mitting  what  you  say  to  be  true  ?"  answered  Patt ;  "  it  were 
better  for  us  to  hurry  on  to  the  house,  and  send  those  here 
who  can  assist  him  in  such  a  case,  than  stand  by  idle  and 
useless." 

As  if  profiting  by  this  hint,  Miss  Coldbrooke  and  Miss 
Marston,  who  were  already  some  little  distance  in  advance, 
went  off*  almost  on  a  run,  doubtless  intending  to  put  my 
sister's  project  into  execution.  But  Mary  Warren  stood 


THE     REDSKINS.  385 

firm,  and  Patt  would  not  desert  her  friend,  whatever  mighi 
have  been  her  disposition  to  treat  me  with  less  consideration. 

"  It  is  true,  we  may  not  be  able  to  assist  Mr.  Littlepage, 
should  violence  be  attempted,"  the  first  remarked  ;  "  but  vi 
olence  is,  perhaps,  what  is  least  to  be  apprehended.  These 
wretched  people  so  little  regard  truth,  and  they  will  be  three 
to  one,  if  your  brother  be  left  alone ;  that  it  is  better  we  stay 
and  hear  what  is  said,  ia  order  that  we  may  assert  what 
the  facts  really  were,  should  these  persons  see  fit  to  pervert 
them,  as  too  often  happens." 

Both  Patt  and  myself  were  struck  with  the  prudence  and 
sagacity  of  this  suggestion ;  and  the  former  now  came  quite 
near  to  the  stile,  on  which  I  was  still  standing,  with  an  air 
as  steady  and  resolute  as  that  of  Mary  Warren  herself.  Just 
then  the  three  men  approached.  Two  of  them  I  knew  by 
came,  though  scarcely  in  person,  while  the  third  was  a 
otal  stranger.  The  two  of  whom  I  had  some  knowledge, 
ivere  named  Bunce  and  Mowatt,  and  were  both  tenants  of 
my  own ;  and,  as  I  have  since  learned,  warm  anti-renters. 
The  stranger  was  a  travelling  demagogue,  who  had  been  at 
the  bottom  of  the  whole  affair  connected  with  the  late  meet 
ing,  and  who  had  made  his  two  companions  his  tools.  The 
three  came  up  to  the  stile,  with  an  air  of  great  importance, 
nor  could  the  dignity  of  their  demeanour  have  been  greater 
had  they  been  ambassadors  extraordinary  from  the  Emperor 
of  China. 

"  Mr.  Littlepage,"  commenced  Mr.  Bunce,  with  a  par 
ticularly  important  physiognomy,  "  there  has  been  a  meet 
ing  of  the  public,  this  morning,  at  which  these  resolutions 
was  passed.  We  have  been  appointed  a  committee  to  de 
liver  a  copy  of  them  to  you,  and  our  duty  is  now  performed, 
by  handing  you  this  paper." 

"  Not  unless  I  see  fit  to  accept  it,  I  presume,  sir,"  was 
my  answer. 

"  I  should  think  no  man,  in  a  free  country,  would  refuse 
to  receive  a  set  of  resolutions  that  has  been  passed  by  a 
meeting  of  his  fellow-citizens." 

"  That  might  depend  on  circumstances ;  the  character  of 
the  resolutions,  in  particular.  The  freedom  of  the  country 
it  is,  precisely,  which  gives  one  man  the  same  right  to  say 
33 


38G  THE     REDSKINS. 

ho  cares  nothing  about  your  resolutions,  as  it  does  you  tfj 
pass  them." 

"But  you  have  not  looked  at  the  resolutions,  sir  and 
until  you  do,  you  cannot  know  how  you  may  like  them." 

"  That  is  very  true ;  but  I  have  looked  at  their  bearers, 
have  seen  their  manner,  and  do  not  quite  like  the  assump 
tion  of  power  which  says  any  body  of  men  can  send  me 
resolutions,  whether  I  like  to  receive  them  or  not." 

This  declaration  seemed  to  strike  the  committee  aghast ! 
The  idea  that  one  man  should  hesitate  to  submit  himself  to 
a  yoke  imposed  by  a  hundred,  was  so  new  and  inconceiva 
ble  to  those  who  deem  majorities  all  in  all,  that  they  hardly 
knew  how  to  take  it.*  At  first  there  was  an  obvious  dis 
position  to  resent  the  insult;  then  came  reflection  which 
probably  told  them  that  such  a  course  might  not  prove  so 
well,  the  whole  terminating  in  a  more  philosophical  deter 
mination  of  getting  along  easily. 

"  Am  I  to  understand,  Mr.  Littlepage,  that  you  refuse  to 
accept  the  resolutions  of  a  public  meeting?" 

"  Yes ;  of  half-a-dozen  public  meetings  put  together,  if 
those  resolutions  are  offensive,  or  are  offered  offensively." 

*  The  prevalence  of  the  notion  of  the  omnipotence  of  majorities,  i> 
America,  is  so  wide-spread  and  deep,  among  the  people  in  general,  a? 
to  form  a  distinctive  trait  in  the  national  character.  It  is  doing  an 
infinity  of  mischief,  by  being  mistaken  for  the  governing  principle  of 
the  institutions,  when  in  fact  it  is  merely  a  necessary  expedient  to  de 
cide  certain  questions  which  must  be  decided  by  somebody,  and  in  some 
mode  or  other.  Kept  in  its  proper  sphere,  the  use  of  majorities  is  re 
plete  with  justice,  so  far  as  justice  can  be  exercised  among  men- 
abused,  it  opens  the  highway  to  the  most  intolerable  tyranny.  As  a 
matter  of  course,  the  errors  connected  with  this  subject  vary  through 
all  the  gradations  of  intellect  and  selfishness.  The  following  anecdote 
will  give  the  reader  some  notion  how  the  feeling  impressed  a  stranger 
shortly  after  his  arrival  in  this  country. 

A  year  or  two  since,  the  writer  had  in  his  service  an  Irishman  who 
had  been  only  two  years  in  the  country.  It  was  a  part  of  this  man's 
duty  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  certain  pigs,  of  which  one  occupied 
tbe  position  of  a  «  runt.'  «  Has  your  honour  looked  at  the  pigs  lately," 
said  the  honest  fellow,  one  day.  «  No,  not  lately,  Pat ;  is  there  any 
change."  "That  is  there,  indeed,  sir,  and  a  great  change.  The  little 
fellow  is  getting  the  majon.fi/  of  the  rest,  and  will  make  the  best  hog 
of  'em  all!" — EDITOR. 


THE     REDSKINS.  387 

"As  to  the  resolutions,  you  can  know  nothing,  having 
never  seen  them.  Of  the  right  of  any  number  of  the  people 
to  pass  such  resolutions  as  they  may  think  proper,  I  presume 
there  can  he  no  question." 

"  Of  that  right,  sir,  there  is  a  very  great  question,  as  has 
been  settled  within  the  last  few  years,  in  our  own  Courts. 
But,  even  if  the  right  existed,  and  in  as  broad  a  way  as  you 
seem  to  think,  it  would  not  form  a  right  to  force  these  reso 
lutions  on  me." 

"  I  am,  then,  to  tell  the  people  you  refuse  even  to  read 
their  resolutions,  'Squire  Littlepage." 

"  You  can  tell  them  what  you  please,  sir.  I  know  of  no 
people,  except  in  the  legal  sense,  and  under  the  limited 
powers  that  they  exercise  by  law.  As  for  this  new  power, 
which  is  rising  up  in  the  country,  and  has  the  impudence  to 
call  itself  the  people,  though  composed  of  little  knots  of  men 
got  together  by  management,  and  practised  on  by  falsehood, 
it  has  neither  my  respect  nor  dread ;  and  as  I  hold  it  in 
contempt,  I  shall  treat  it  with  contempt,  whenever  it  comes 
'n  my  way." 

"  I  am,  then,  to  tell  the  people  of  Ravensnest,  you  hold 
them  in  contempt,  sir." 

"  I  authorize  you  to  tell  the  people  of  Ravensnest  nothing, 
as  coming  from  me,  for  I  do  not  know  that  the  people  of 
Ravensnest  have  employed  you.  If  you  will  ask  me,  re 
spectfully,  as  if  you  were  soliciting  a  favour  instead  of  de 
manding  a  right,  to  read  the  contents  of  the  paper  you  hold 
in  your  hand,  I  may  be  willing  to  comply.  What  I  object 
to,  is  a  handful  of  men's  getting  together,  setting  themselves 
up  as  the  people,  pretending  to  authority  in  that  capacity, 
and  claiming  a  right  to  force  their  notions  on  other  folks." 

The  three  committee-men  now  drew  back  a  few  paces, 
and  consulted  together  apart,  for  two  or  three  minutes. 
While  they  were  thus  employed,  I  heard  the  sweet  gentle 
voice  of  Mary  Warren  say  at  my  elbow — "  Take  their  reso 
lutions,  Mr.  Littlepage,  and  get  rid  of  them.  I  dare  say 
they  are  very  silly,  but  you  will  get  rid  of  them  all  the 
sooner,  by  receiving  the  paper."  This  was  woman's  ad 
vice,  which  is  a  little  apt  to  err  on  the  side  of  concession, 
when  her  apprehensions  are  aroused  ;  but  I  was  spared  the 
pain  of  not  complying  with  it,  by  the  altered  tone  of  the  trio. 


388  THE     REDSKINS. 

who  now  came  up  to  the  stile  again,  having  apparently 
come  to  a  final  decision  in  the  premises. 

"  Mr.  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage,  junior,"  said  Bunce  in  a 
solemn  voice,  and  in  a  manner  as  precise  as  if  he  were 
making  some  legal  tender  that  was  of  the  last  importance , 
and  which  required  set  phrases,  "I  now  ask  you,  in  a 
most  respectful  manner,  if  you  will  consent  to  receive  this 
paper.  It  contains  certain  resolutions,  .passed  with  great 
unanimity  by  the  people  of  Ravensnest,  and  which  may  be 
found  to  affect  you.  I  am  directed  respectfully  to  ask  you, 
if  you  will  accept  this  copy  of  the  said  resolutions." 

I  cut  the  rest  of  the  speech  short  by  receiving  the  prof 
fered  paper,  and  I  thought  all  three  of  the  worthy  ambassa 
dors  looked  disappointed  at  my  having  done  so.  This  gave 
a  new  turn  to  my  ideas,  and  had  they  now  demanded  their 
resolutions  back  again,  they  should  not  have  had  them,  so 
long  as  the  revolvers  could  do  their  duty.  For  a  moment, 
I  do  believe  Bunce  was  for  trying  the  experiment.  He  and 
his  companions  would  have  been  delighted  to  have  it  in 
their  power  to  run  up  and  down  the  country  crying  out  that 
the  aristocrat-landlord,  young  Littlepage,  held  the  people  in 
contempt,  and  had  refused  even  to  accept  the  resolutions 
they  had  deigned,  in  their  majesty,  to  pass.  As  it  was, 
however,  I  had  sufficiently  rebuked  the  presumption  of  these 
pretenders  to  liberty,  avoided  all  the  consequences  of  their 
clamour  in  that  behalf,  and  had  an  opportunity  to  gratify  a 
curiosity  to  know  what  the  leaders  of  the  meeting  had  been 
about,  and  to  read  their  resolutions.  I  say,  the  leaders  of 
the  meeting,  for  it  is  very  certain  the  meetings  themselves, 
on  all  such  occasions,  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  forming, 
or  entertaining  the  opinions  that  are  thus  expressed,  than  if 
they  had  been  in  Kamtschatka,  the  whole  time.  Folding 
the  paper,  therefore,  and  putting  it  in  my  pocket,  I  bowed 
to  the  committee,  saying,  as  I  descended  the  stile  on  the 
other  side  of  the  fence — 

"  It  is  well,  gentlemen  ;  if  the  resolutions  require  any  no 
tice,  they'll  be  sure  to  receive  it.  Public  meetings  held  of  a 
Sunday  are  so  unusual  in  this  part  of  the  world,  that  this 
may  have  interest  with  that  small  portion  of  the  State  which 
does  not  dweJl  at  Ravensnest." 

I  thought  the  committee  was  a  little  abashed;  but  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  389 

stranger,  or  tne  travelling  demagogue,  caught  at  my  words, 
and  answered  as  I  walked  away,  in  company  with  Patt  and 
Mary  Warren — 

"  The  better  day,  the  better  deed.  The  matter  related  to 
the  Sabbath,  and  no  time  so  suitable  as  the  Sabbath  to  act 
on  it." 

I  will  own  I  was  dying  with  curiosity  to  read  the  resolu 
tions,  but  dignity  prevented  any  such  thing  until  we  had 
reached  a  spot  where  the  path  led  through  a  copse,  that  con 
cealed  us  from  observation.  Once  under  that  cover,  how 
ever,  I  eagerly  drew  out  the  paper,  the  two  girls  drawing 
near  to  listen,  with  as  lively  an  interest  as  that  I  felt  myself 
in  the  result. 

"  Here  you  may  see  at  a  glance,"  I  cried,  shaking  open 
the  folds  of  the  paper,  **  the  manner  in  which  the  people  so 
often  pass  their  resolutions !  All  this  writing  has  a  very 
school-master  air,  and  has  been  done  with  care  and  delibe 
ration,  whereas  there  was  certainly  no  opportunity  to  make 
a  copy  as  fair  as  this  of  anything  out  in  the  highway  where 
the  meeting  was  actually  held.  This  proves  that  matters 
have  been  cut  and  dried  for  the  sovereign  people,  who,  like 
other  monarchs,  are  saved  a  great  deal  of  trouble  by  their 
confidential  servants." 

"  I  dare  say,"  said  Patt,  "  two  or  three  men  down  at  the 
village  prepared  everything-,  and  then  brought  their  work 
up  to  the  meeting  to  be  read  and  approved,  and  to  go  forth 
as  public  sentiment." 

«'  If  it  were  only  honestly  approved  by  even  those  who 
heard  it  read,  it  would  be  another  matter  ;  but  two-thirds  of 
every  meeting  are  nothing  but  dough-faces,  that  are  moulded 
to  look  whichever  way  the  skilful  manager  may  choose.  But 
let  us  see  what  these  notable  resolutions  are ;  we  may  like 
them,  possibly,  after  having  read  them." 

"  It  is  so  extraordinary  to  have  a  public  meeting  of  a 
Sunday  in  this  part  of  the  world !"  exclaimed  Mary 
Warren. 

I  now  set  about  reading  the  contents  of  the  paper,  which, 
at  a  glance,  I  saw  had  been  very  carefully  prepared  for  pub 
lication,  and  no  doubt  would  soon  figure  in  some  of  the 
journals.  Fortunately,  this  business  has  been  so  much  over 
done,  and  so  many  meetings  are  held  that  flatly  contradi? 
33* 


390  THE    REDSKINS. 

each  other,  though  all  represent  public  sentiment,  fire  is 
made  so  effectually  to  fight  fire,  that  the  whole  procedure  is 
falling  into  contempt,  and  the  public  is  actually  losing  the 
great  advantage  which,  under  a  more  temperate  use  of  its 
power,  it  might  possess,  by  making  known  from  time  to 
time,  as  serious  occasions  offered,  its  true  opinions  and 
wishes.  As  things  actually  are,  every  man  of  intelligence 
is  fully  aware  that  simulated  public  opinions  are  much  the 
most  noisy  and  active  in  the  country,  and  he  regards  nothing 
of  the  sort  of  which  he  hears  or  reads,  unless  he  happen  to 
know  something  of  the  authority.  It  is  the  same  with  the 
newspaper  press  generally ;  into  such  deep  discredit  has  it 
fallen,  that  not  only  is  its  power  to  do  evil  much  curtailed, 
but  it  has  nearly  lost  all  power  to  do  good  ;  for,  by  indulging 
in  licentiousness,  and  running  into  the  habit  of  crying 
"  wolf,"  nobody  is  disposed  to  believe,  were  the  beast  actually 
committing  its  ravages  in  the  flocks  of  the  nation.  There 
are  but  two  ways  for  a  man  to  regain  a  position  from  which 
he  has  departed;  the  one  is  by  manfully  retracing  his  steps, 
and  the  other  is  by  making  a  circuit  so  complete  that 
all  who  choose  to  watch  him  may  see  and.  understand  all 
sides  of  him,  and  estimate  him  accordingly.  The  last  is 
likely  to  be  the  career  of  demagogueism  and  the  press;  both 
of  which  have  already  gone  so  far  as  to  render  retreat  next 
to  impossible,  and  who  can  only  regain  any  portion  of  public 
confidence  by  being  satisfied  with  completing  their  circuit, 
and  falling  in  the  rear  of  the  nation,  content  to  follow  those 
whom  it  has  been  their  craving  ambition  to  lead. 

"  At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Ravensnest,"  I  began  to 
read  aloud,  "  spontaneously  Convened,  June  22d,  1845,  in 
the  public  highway,  after  attending  divine  service  in  the 
Episcopal  meeting-house,  according  to  the  forms  of  the  esta 
blished  denomination  of  England,  on  the  church  and  state 
system,  Onesiphoras  Hayden,  Esquire,  was  called  to  the 
chair,  and  Pulaski  Todd,  Esquire,  was  appointed  Secretary. 
After  a  luminous  and  eloquent  exposition  of  the  objects  of 
the  meeting,  and  some  most  pungent  strictures  on  aristociacy 
and  the  rights  of  man,  from  Demosthenes  Hewlett  and  John 
Smith,  Esquires,  the  following  expression  of  public  senti 
ment  was  sustained  by  an  undivided  unanimity  : — Resolved 
that  a  temperate  expression  of  public  opinion  is  useful  to  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  391 

rights  of  freemen,  and  is  one  of  the  most  precious  privileges 
of  freedom,  as  the  last  has  been  transmitted  to  us  in  a  free 
country  by  our  ancestors,  who  fought  and  bled  for  free  and 
equal  institutions  on  free  and  equal  grounds. 

«'  Resolved,  That  we  prize  this  privilege,  and  shall  ever 
watch  over  its  exercise  with  vigilance,  the  price  of  liberty 

"  Resolved,  That,  as  all  men  are  equal  in  the  eyes  of  the 
law,  so  are  they  much  more  so  in  the  eyes  of  God. 

"  Resolved,  That  meeting-houses  are  places  constructed 
for  the  convenience  of  the  people,  and  that  nothing  ought  to 
be  admitted  into  them  that  is  opposed  to  public  sentiment, 
or  which  can  possibly  offend  it. 

"  Resolved,  That,  in  our  judgment,  the  seat  that  is  good 
enough  for  one  man  is  good  enough  for  another ;  that  we 
know  no  difference  in  families  and  races,  and  that  pews 
ought  to  be  constructed  on  the  principles  of  equality,  as  well 
as  laws. 

"  Resolved,  That  canopies  are  royal  distinctions,  and  quite 
unsuited  to  republicans  ;  and  most  of  all,  to  republican  meet 
ing-houses. 

"  Resolved,  That  religion  should  be  adapted  to  the  insti 
tutions  of  a  country,  and  that  a  republican  form  of  govern 
ment  is  entitled  to  a  republican  form  of  religion  ;  and  that 
we  do  not  see  the  principles  of  freedom  in  privileged  seats 
in  the  House  of  God." 

"  That  resolution  has  been  got  up  as  a  commentary  on 
what  has  been  circulated  so  much,  of  late,  in  the  newspa 
pers,"  cried  Mary  Warren,  quickly  ;  "  in  which  it  has  been 
advanced,  as  a  recommendation  of  certain  sects,  that  their 
dogmas  and  church-government  are  more  in  harmony  with 
republicanism  than  certain  others,  our  own  church  in 
cluded." 

"  One  would  think,"  I  answered,  "  if  this  conformity  be 
a  recommendation,  that  it  would  be  the  duty  of  men  to  make 
their  institutions  conform  to  the  church,  instead  of  the  church's 
conforming  to  the  institutions." 

"  Yes ;  but  it  is  not  the  fashion  to  reason  in  this  way, 
now-a-days.    Prejudice  is  just  as  much  appealed  to  in  mat 
ters  connected  with  religion,  as  with  anything  else." 
.  "Resolved,"  I  continued  to  read,  "That  in  placing  a 
canopy  over  his  pew,  in  St.  Andrew's  meeting-house,  Ra- 


THE     REDSKINS. 

vensnest,  Gen.  Cornelius  Lilllepage  conformed  to  the  spiri 
of  a  past  age,  rather  than  to  the  spirit  of  the  present  time, 
and  that  we  regard  its  continuance  there  as  an  aristociatical 
assumption  of  a  superiority  that  is  opposed  to  the  character 
of  the  government,  offensive  to  liberty,  and  dangerous  as  an 
example." 

"  Really  that  is  too  bad  !"  exclaimed  Patt,  vexed  at  heart, 
even  while  she  laughed  at  the  outrageous  silliness  of  the 
resolutions,  and  all  connected  with  them.  "  Dear,  liberal- 
minded  grandpapa,  who  fought  and  bled  for  that  very  liberty 
about  which  these  people  cant  so  much,  and  who  was  actively 
concerned  in  framing  the  very  institutions  that  they  do  not 
understand,  and  are  constantly  violating,  is  accused  of  being 
false  to  what  were  notoriously  his  own  principles !" 

"Never  mind  that,  my  dear;  there  only  remain  three 
more  resolutions  :  let  us  hear  them.  «  Resolved,  That  we 
see  an  obvious  connection  between  crowned  heads,  patents 
of  nobility,  canopied  pews,  personal  distinctions,  leasehold 
tenures,  land-LoRDS,  days'  works,  fat  fowls,  quarter-sales, 
three-lives  leases,  and  RENT.' 

"  Resolved,  That  we  are  of  opinion  that,  when  the  owners 
of  barns  wish  them  destroyed,  for  any  purpose  whatever, 
there  is  a  mode  less  alarming  to  a  neighbourhood  than  by 
setting  them  on  fire,  and  thus  giving  rise  to  a  thousand  re 
ports  and  accusations  that  are  wanting  in  the  great  merit  of 
truth. 

"  Resolved,  That  a  fair  draft  be  made  of  these  resolu 
tions,  and  a  copy  of  them  delivered  to  one  Hugh  Roger  Lit- 
ilepage,  a  citizen  of  Ravensnest,  in  the  county  of  Washing 
ton  ;  and  that  Peter  Bunce,  Esq.,  John  Mowatt,  Esq.,  and 
Hezekiah  Trott,  Esq.,  be  a  committee  to  see  that  this  act 
be  performed. 

"Whereupon  the  meeting  adjourned,  sine  die.  Onesi- 
phorus  Hayden,  chairman  ;  Pulaski  Todd,  secretary." 

"  Whe-e-e-w !"  I  whistled,  "  here  *s  gunpowder  enough 
for  another  Waterloo !" 

"  What  means  that  last  resolution,  Mr.  Littlepage  ?"  asked 
Mary  Warren,  anxiously.  "  That  about  the  barn." 

"  Sure  enough  ;  there  is  a  latent  meaning  there  which  has 
'ts  sting.     Can  the  scoundrels  intend  to  insinuate  that  / 
aused  that  barn  to  be  set  on  fire !" 


THE     REDSKINS.  393 

"  If  they  should,  it  is  scarcely  more  than  they  have  at- 
.empted  to  do  with  every  landlord  they  have  endeavoured  to 
rob,"  said  Patt,  with  spirit.  "  Calumny  seems  a  natural 
weapon  of  those  who  get  their  power  by  appealing  to  num 
bers." 

"  That  is  natural  enough,  my  dear  sister ;  since  prejudice 
and  passion  are  quite  as  active  agents  as  reason  and  facts, 
in  the  common  mind.  But  this  is  a  slander  that  shall  be 
looked  to.  If  I  find  that  these  men  really  wish  to  circulate  a 
report  that  I  caused  my  own  barn  to  be  set  on  fire — pshaw  ! 
nonsense,  after  all ;  have  we  not  Newcome,  and  that  other 
rascal  in  confinement,  at  this  moment,  for  attempting  to  set 
fire  to  my  house  ?" 

"Be  not  too  confident,  Mr.  Littlepage,"  said  Mary,  with 
an  anxiety  so  pointed  that  I  could  not  but  feel  its  flattery — 
"  my  dear  father  tells  me  he  has  lost  most  of  his  confidence 
in  innocence,  except  as  One  above  all  weaknesses  shall  be 
the  judge  :  this  very  story  may  be  got  up  expressly  to  throw 
distrust  on  your  accusations  against  the  two  incendiaries 
you  have  taken  in  the  act.  Remember  how  much  of  the 
facts  will  depend  on  your  own  testimony." 

"  I  shall  have  you  to  sustain  me,  Miss  Warren,  and  the 
juror  is  not  living,  who  would  hesitate  to  believe  that  to 
which  you  will  testify.  But  here  we  are  approaching  the 
house ;  we  will  talk  no  more  on  the  subject,  lest  it  distress 
my  grandmother." 

We  found  all  quiet  at  the  Nest,  no  report  of  any  sort 
having  come  from  the  red-men.  Sunday  was  like  any  other 
day  to  them,  with  the  exception  that  they  so  far  deferred  to 
our  habits,  as  to  respect  it,  to  a  certain  extent,  while  in  our 
presence.  Some  writers  have  imagined  that  the  aborigines 
of  America  are  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel ;  but  it  seems  to 
me  that  such  a  people  could  never  have  existed  apart,  unin 
fluenced  by  foreign  association,  and  preserved  no  tradition, 
no  memorial  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath.  Let  this  be  as  it  may, 
John,  who  met  us  at  the  door,  which  we  reached  just  after 
my  uncle  and  grandmother,  reported  all  quiet,  so  far  as  he 
knew  anything  of  the  state  of  the  farm-buildings. 

"  They  got  enough  last  night,  I  Jse  thinking,  Mr.  Hugh, 
and  has  found  out  by  this  time,  that  it's  better  to  light  a  fire 
in  one  of  their  own  cook-stoves,  than  come  to  light  it  on  the 


394  THE     REDSKINS. 

floor  of  a  gentleman's  kitchen.  I  never  heard  it  said,  sir 
that  the  Haraericans  was  as  much  Hirish  as  they  oe  Heng- 
lish,  but  to  me  they  seems  to  grow  every  day  more  like  the 
wild  Hirishers,  of  whom  we  used  to  hear  so  much  in  Lun'un. 
Your  honoured  father,  sir,  would  never  have  believed  that 
his  own  dwelling  would  be  entered,  at  .night,  by  men  who 
are  his  very  neighbours,  and  who  act  like  burglariouses,  as 
if  they  were  so  many  Newgate  birds, — no.  Why,  Mr. 
Hugh,  this  'Squire  Newcome,  as  they  call  him,  is  an  hattor- 
ney,  and  has  often  dined  here  at  the  Nest.  I  have  'anded 
him  his  soup,  and  fish,  and  wine,  fifty  times,  just  as  if  he 
was  a  gentleman,  and  to  his  sister,  Miss  Hopportunity,  too ; 
and  they  to  come  to  set  fire  to  the  house,  at  midnight !" 

"  You  do  Miss  Opportunity  injustice,  John  ;  for  she  has 
not  had  the  least  connection  with  the  matter." 

"  Well,  sir,  nobody  knows  anything,  now-a-days — I  de 
clare,  my  eyes  be  getting  weak,  or  there  is  the  young  lady, 
at  this  very  instant !" 

"Young  lady!  where? — you  do  not  mean  Opportunity 
Newcome,  surely." 

"  I  does  though,  sir,  and  it 's  she,  sure  enough.  If  that 
is  n't  Miss  Hopportunity,  the  prisoner  that  the  savages  has 
got  up  in  the  cellar  of  the  old  farm-house,  isn't  her 
brother." 

John  was  quite  right ;  there  was  Opportunity  standing  in 
the  very  path,  and  at  the  very  spot  where  I  had  last  seen 
her  disappear  from  my  sight,  the  past  night.  That  spot 
was  just  where  the  path  plunged  into  the  wooded  ravine,  and 
so  far  was  her  person  concealed  by  the  descent,  that  we  could 
only  perceive  the  head,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  body.  The 
girl  had  shown  herself  just  that  much,  in  order  to  attract 
my  attention,  in  which  she  had  no  sooner  succeeded,  than, 
by  moving  downward  a  few  paces,  she  was  entirely  hid 
from  sight.  Cautioning  John  to  say  nothing  of  what  had 
passed,!  sprang  down  the  steps, and  walked  in  the  direction 
of  the  ravine,  perfectly  satisfied  I  was  expected,  and  far 
from  certain  that  this  visit  did  not  portend  further  evil. 

The  distance  was  so  short  that  I  was  soon  at  the  verge 
of  the  ravine,  but  when  I  reached  it  Opportunity  had  disap 
peared.  Owing  to  the  thicket,  her  concealment  was  easily 
obtained,  while  she  might  be  within  a  few  yards  from  me 


THE     REDSKINS.  395 

and  I  plunged  downwards,  bent  only  on  ascertaining  her 
object.  One  gleam  of  distrust  shot  across  my  mind,  1  will 
own,  as  I  strided  down  the  declivity  ;  but  it  was  soon  lost  in 
the  expectation  and  curiosity  that  were  awakened  by  the  ap 
pearance  of  the  girl. 

I  believe  it  has  already  been  explained,  that  in  this  part 
of  the  lawn  a  deep,  narrow  ravine  had  been  left  in  wood,  and 
that  the  bridle-path  that  leads  to  the  hamlet  had  been  carried 
directly  through  it,  for  effect.  This  patch  of  wood  may  be 
three  or  four  acres  in  extent,  following  the  course  of  the 
ravine  until  it  reaches  the  meadows,  and  it  contains  three  or 
four  rustic  seats,  intended  to  be  used  in  the  warmer  months. 
As  Opportunity  was  accustomed  to  all  the  windings  and 
turnings  of  the  place,  she  had  posted  herself  near  one  of 
these  seats,  which  stood  in  a  dense  thicket,  but  so  near  the 
main  path  as  to  enable  her  to  let  me  know  where  she  was 
to  be  found,  by  a  low  utterance  of  my  name,  as  my  tread 
announced  my  approach.  Springing  up  the  by-path,  I  was 
at  her  side  in  an  instant.  I  do  believe  that,  now  she  had  so 
far  succeeded,  the  girl  sunk  upon  the  seat  from  inability  to 
stand. 

"  Oh  !  Mr.  Hugh  !"  she  exclaimed,  looking  at  me  with  a 
degree  of  nature  and  concern  in  her  countenance  that  it  was 
not  usual  to  see  there — "  Sen — my  poor  brother  Sen — what 
have  I  done? — what  have  I  done?" 

"  Will  you  answer  me  one  or  two  questions,  Miss  Oppor 
tunity,  with  frankness,  under  the  pledge  that  the  replies 
never  shall  be  used  to  injure  you  or  yours?  This  is  a  very 
serious  affair,  and  should  be  treated  with  perfect  frankness." 

"  I  will  answer  any  thing  to  you — any  question  you  can 
put  me,  though  I  might  blush  to  do  so — but,"  laying  her 
hand  familiarly,  not  to  say  tenderly  on  my  arm — "  why 
should  we  be  Mr.  Hugh  and  Miss  Opportunity  to  each 
other,  when  we  were  so  long  Hugh  and  Op  ?  Call  me  Op 
again,  and  I  shall  feel  that  the  credit  of  my  family  and  the 
happiness  of  poor  Sen  are,  after  all,  in  the  keeping  of  a 
true  friend." 

"  No  one  can  be  more  willing  to  do  this  than  myself,  my 
dear  Op,  and  I  am  willing  to  be  Hugh  again.  But,  you 
know  all  that  has  passed." 


THE     REDSKINS. 

"  [  do — yes,  the  dreadful  news  has  reached  us,  and 
mother  would  n't  leave  me  a  moment's  peace  till  I  stole  out 
again  to  see  you." 

"  Again  ? — Was  your  mother,  then,  acquainted  with  the 
visit  of  last  night?"  ' 

"  Yes,  yes — she  knew  it  all,  and  advised  it  all." 

"  Your  mother  is  a  most  thoughtful  and  prudent  parent," 
I  answered,  biting  my  lip,  "  and  I  shall  know  hereaftei 
how  much  I  am  indebted  to  her.  To  you,  Opportunity,  1 
owe  the  preservation  of  my  house,  and  possibly  the  lives  of 
all  who  are  most  dear  to  me." 

"  Well,  that 's  something,  any  how.  There 's  no  grief  that 
hasn't  its  relief.  But,  you  must  know,  Hugh,  that  I  never 
could  or  did  suppose  that  Sen  himself  would  be  so  weak  as 
to  come  in  his  own  person  on  such  an  errand  !  I  did  n't 
want  telling  to  understand  that,  in  anti-rent  times,  fire  and 
sword  are  the  law, — but,  take  him  in  general,  Sen  is  alto 
gether  prudent  and  cautious.  I  'd  a  bit  my  tongue  off  before 
I M  a  got  my  own  brother  into  so  cruel  a  scrape.  No,  no — 
do  n't  think  so  ill  of  me  as  to  suppose  I  came  to  tell  of  Sen  !" 

"  It  is  enough  for  me  that  I  know  how  much  trouble  you 
took  to  warn  me  of  danger.  It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to 
think  of  you  in  any  other  light  than  that  of  a  friend." 

"  Ah,  Hugh  !  how  happy  and  merry  we  all  of  us  used  to 
be  a  few  years  since !  That  was  before  your  Miss  Cold- 
brookes,  and  Miss  Marstons,  and  Mary  Warrens  ever  saw  the 
country.  Then  we  did  enjoy  ourselves,  and  I  hope  such 
times  will  return.  If  Miss  Martha  would  only  stick  to  old 
friends,  instead  of  running  after  new  ones,  Ravensnest 
would  be  Ravensnest  again." 

"  You  are  not  to  censure  my  sister  for  loving  her  own 
closest  associates  best.  She  is  several  years  our  junior, 
you  will  remember,  and  was  scarcely  of  an  age  to  be  our 
companion  six  years  ago." 

Opportunity  had  the  grace  to  colour  a  little,  for  she  had 
only  used  Patt  as  a  cloak  to  make  her  assaults  on  me,  and 
she  knew  as  well  as  I  did  that  my  sister  was  good  seven 
years  younger  than  herself.  This  feeling,  however,  was 
but  momentary,  and  she  next  turned  to  the  real  object  of 
this  visit. 


THE     REDSKINS.  397 

"  What  am  I  to  tell  mother,  Hugh  ?— You  will  let  Sen 
off,  I  know !" 

I  reflected,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  hardships  of  the 
case ;  but  felt  a  strong  reluctance  to  allow  incendiaries  to 
escape. 

*'  The  facts  must  be  known,  soon,  all  over  the  town,"  I 
remarked. 

"  No  fear  of  that :  they  are  pretty  much  known,  already. 
News  does  fiyfast,  at  Ravensnest,  all  must  admit." 

"  Ay,  if  it  would  only  fly  true.  But,  your  brother  can 
hardly  remain  here,  after  such  an  occurrence." 

"  Lord  !  How  you  talk  !  If  the  law  will  only  let  him 
alone,  who  'd  trouble  him  for  this  ?  You  havn't  been  home 
long  enough,  to  learn  that  folks  don't  think  half  as  much  of 
setting  fire  to  a  house,  in  anti-rent  times,  as  they  'd  think  of 
a  trespass,  under  the  old-fashioned  law.  Anti-rent  alters 
the  whole  spirit." 

How  true  was  this !  And  we  have  lads  among  us,  who 
have  passed  from  their  tenth  to  their  eighteenth  and  twen 
tieth  years,  in  a  condition  of  society  that  is  almost  hope 
lessly  abandoned  to  the  most  corrupting  influence  of  all 
the  temptations  that  beset  human  beings.  It  is  not  surpris 
ing  that  men  begin  to  regard  arson  as  a  venial  offence, 
when  the  moral  feeling  of  the  community  is  thus  unhinged, 
and  boys  are  suffered  to  grow  into  manhood,  in  the  midst 
of  notions  so  fatal  to  every  thing  that  is  just  and  safe. 

"  But  the  law  itself  will  not  be  quite  as  complaisant  as  the 
folks.'  It  will  scarcely  allow  incendiaries  to  escape ;  and 
your  brother  would  be  compelled  to  flee  the  land." 

"  What  of  that?  How  many  go  off,  and  stay  off  for  a 
time ;  and  that 's  better  than  going  up  north  to  work  at  the 
new  prison.  I  'm  not  a  bit  afraid  of  Sen's  being  hanged,  for 
these  an't  hanging  times,  in  this  country ;  but  it  is  some  dis 
grace  to  a  family  to  have  a  member  in  the  state's  prison. 
As  for  any  punishment  that  is  lasting,  you  can  see  how  it 
is,  as  well  as  I.  There  've  been  men  murdered  about  anti- 
rentism,  but,  Lord  !  the  senators  and  assemblymen  will 
raise  such  a  rumpus,  if  you  go  to  punish  them,  that  it  won't 
be  long,  if  things  go  on  as  they  have,  before  it  will  be 
thought  more  honourable  to  be  put  in  jail  for  shooting  a 
peace-officer,  than  to  stay  out  of  it,  for  not  having  done  it, 
34 


398  THE     REDSKINS. 

Talk 's  all  ;  and  if  folks  have  a  mind  to  make  any  thing  hon 
ourable,  they  've  only  to  say  so  often  enough,  to  make  it  out." 

Such  were  the  notions  of  Miss  Opportunity  Newcome, 
on  the  subject  of  modern  morals,  and  how  far  was  she  from 
the  truth?  I  could  not  but  smile  at  the  manner  in  which 
she  treated  things,  though  there  was  a  homely  and  practical 
common  sense  in  her  way  of  thinking,  that  was  probably  of 
more  efficiency  than  would  have  been  the  case  with  a  more 
refined  and  nicer  code.  She  looked  at  things  as  they  are, 
and  that  is  always  something  towards  success. 

As  for  myself,  I  was  well  enough  disposed  to  consider 
Opportunity,  in  this  unfortunate  affair  of  the  fire,  for  it 
would  have  been  a  cruel  thing  to  suffer  the  girl  to  imagine 
she  had  been  an  instrument  in  destroying  her  brother.  It 
is  true,  there  is  no  great  danger  of  a  rogue's  being  hanged, 
now-a-days,  and  Seneca  was  not  sufficiently  a  gentleman, 
though  very  tenacious  of  the  title,  to  endanger  his  neck. 
Had  he  been  a  landlord,  and  caught  lighting  a  fire  on  the 
kitchen-floor  of  one  of  the  tenants,  the  State  would  not  grow 
hemp  enough  for  his  execution  ;  but  it  was  a  very  different 
thing  to  catch  a  tenant  at  that  work.  I  could  not  but  ask 
myself,  how  many  of  the  "  honourable  gentlemen"  at  Albany 
would  interfere  in  my  behalf,  had  matters  been  reversed;  for 
this  is  the  true  mode  of  arriving  at  the  '  spirit  of  the  institu 
tions  ;'  or,  rather,  I  have  just  as  goqd  a  right  to  affirm  such 
is  their  *  spirit,'  as  any  one  has  to  assert  that  the  lease-hold 
tenure  is  opposed  to  them ;  the  laws  and  institutions  them 
selves,  being  equally  antagonist  to  both. 

The  results  of  the  interview  I  had  with  Opportunity  were, 
Istly, — I  kept  my  heart  just  where  it  was  at  its  commence 
ment,  though  I  am  not  certain  that  it  was  in  my  own  cus 
tody  ;  2dly, — The  young  lady  left  me  much  encouraged  on 
the  subject  of  the  credit  of  the  Newcomes,  though  I  took 
very  good  care  not  to  put  myself  in  her  power,  by  promis 
ing  to  compromise  felony ;  3dly, — I  invited  the  sister  tc 
come  openly  to  the  Nest,  that  evening,  as  one  of  the  means 
to  be  employed  in  attaining  her  ends — as  respects  Seneca, 
be  it  remembered,  not  as  respects  me;  and  lastly,  we  parted 
just  as  good  friends  as  we  ever  had  been,  and  entertaining 
exactly  the  same  views  as  regards  each  other.  What  those 
views  were,  it  may  not  be  modest  in  me  to  record. 


THE     REDSKINS.  399 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"  If  men  desire  the  rights  of  property,  they  must  take  their  conse. 
quences ;  distinction  in  social  classes.  Without  tho  rights  of  property 
civilization  can  hardly  exist ;  while  the  highest  class  of  improvements 
is  probably  the  result  of  the  very  social  distinctions  that  so  many  decry. 
The  great  political  problem  to  be  solved,  is  to  ascertain  if  the  social 
distinctions  that  are  inseparable  from  civilization  can  really  exist  with 
perfect  equality  in  political  rights.  We  are  of  opinion  they  can ;  and 
as  much  condemn  him  who  vainly  contends  for  a  visionary  and  im 
practicable  social  equality,  as  we  do  him  who  would  deny  to  men 
equal  opportunities  for  advancement." 

Political  Essay. 

MY  interview  with  Opportunity  Newcome  remained  a 
secret  between  those  who  first  knew  of  it.  The  evening 
service  in  St.  Andrew's  was  attended  only  by  the  usual  con 
gregation,  all  the  curiosity  of  the,  multitude  seeming  to  have 
been  allayed  by  the  visit  in  the  morning.  The  remainder 
of  the  day  passed  as  usual,  and,  after  enjoying  a  pleasant 
even-tide,  and  the  earlier  hours  of  the  night  in  the  company 
of  the  girls,  I  retired  early  to  bed,  and  slept  profoundly  until 
morning.  My  uncle  Ro  partook  of  my  own  philosophical 
temper,  and  we  encouraged  each  other  in  it  by  a  short  con 
versation  that  occurred  in  his  room  before  we  respectively 
retired  to  rest. 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Hugh,"  said  my  uncle,  in  reply  to  a 
remark  of  my  own ;  "  there  is  little  use  in  making  ourselves 
unhappy  about  evils  that  we  cannot  help.  If  we* are  to  be 
burnt  up  and  stripped  of  our  property,  we  shall  be  burnt  up 
and  stripped  of  our  property.  I  have  a  competency  secured 
in  Europe,  and  we  can  all  live  on  that,  with  economy,  should 
the  worst  come  to  the  worst." 

"It  is  a  strange  thing,  to  hear  an  American  talk  of 
seeking  a  refuge  of  any  sort  in  the  old  world  !" 

"  If  matters  proceed  in  the  lively  manner  they  have  for 
the  last  ten  years,  you'll  hear  of  it  often.  Hitherto,  the  rich 
of  Europe  have  been  in  the  habit  of  laying  by  a  penny  in 
America  against  an  evil  day ;  but  the  time  will  soon  come, 


400  THE     REDSKINS. 

unless  there  is  a  great  change,  when  the  rich  of  America  will 
return  the  compliment,  in  kind.  We  are  worse  off  than  if 
we  were  in  a  state  of  nature,  in  many  respects ;  having  our 
hands  tied  by  the  responsibility  that  belongs  to  our  position 
and  means,  while  those  who  choose  to  assail  us  are  under  a 
mere  nominal  restraint.  They  make  the  magistrates,  who 
are  altogether  in  their  interests ;  and  they  elect  the  sheriffs 
who  are  to  see  the  laws  executed.  The  theory  is,  that  the 
people  are  sufficiently  virtuous  to  perform  all  these  duties 
well ;  but  no  provision  has  been  made  for  the  case  in  which 
the  people  themselves  happen  to  go  astray,  en  masse." 

"  We  have  our  governors  and  masters  at  Albany,  sir." 

"Yes,  we  have  our  governors  and  servants  at  Albany, 
and  there  they  are  !  There  has  not  been  the  time,  probably, 
since  this  infernal  spirit  first  had  its  rise  among  us,  that  a 
clear,  manly,  energetic,  and  well-principled  proclamation, 
alone,  issued  by  the  Governor  of  this  State,  would  not  have 
aroused  all  the  better  feelings  of  the  community,  and  put 
this  thing  down  ;  but,  small  as  would  have  been  that  tribute 
to  the  right,  it  has  never  been  paid,  and,  until  we  drop  double- 
distilled  patriots,  and  have  recourse  again  to  the  old-fashioned, 
high-principled  gentlemen  for  offices  of  mark,  it  never  will 
be  done.  Heaven  preserve  me  from  extra-virtuous,  patri 
otic,  and  enlightened  citizens  ;  no  good  ever  comes  of  them." 

"  I  believe  the  wisest  way,  sir,  is  to  make  up  our  minds 
that  we  have  reached  the  point  of  reaction  in  the  institutions, 
and  be  ready  to  submit  to  the  worst.  I  keep  the  '  revolver' 
well  primed,  and  hope  to  escape  being  burnt  up  at  least." 

After  a  little  more  such  discourse,  we  parted  and  sought 
our  pillows,  and  I  can  say  that  I  never  slept  more  soundly 
in  my  life. '  If  I  did  lose  my  estate,  it  was  what  other  men 
had  suffered  and  survived,  and  why  might  not  I  as  well  as 
another?  It  is  true,  those  other  men  were,  in  the  main,  the 
victims  of  what  are  called  tyrants;  but  others,  again,  had 
certainly  been  wronged  by  the  masses.  Thousands  have 
been  impoverished  in  France,  for  instance,  by  the  political 
confiscations  of  the  multitude,  and  thousands  enriched  by  ill- 
gotten  gains,  profiting  by  the  calamities  of  those  around 
them  ;  and  what  has  happened  there  might  happen  here. 
Big  words  ought  to  pass  for  nothing.  No  man  was  ever  o 
whit  more  free  because  he  was  the  whole  time  hriasting  cf 


THE     REDSKINS.  401 

his  liberty,  and  I  was  not  now  to  learn  that  when  numbers 
did  inflict  a  wrong,  it  was  always  of  the  most  intolerable 
character.  Ordinarily,  they  were  not  much  disposed  to  this 
species  of  crime ;  but  men  in  masses  were  no  more  infalli 
ble  than  individuals.  In  this  philosophic  mood,  I  slept. 

I  was  awoke  next  morning  by  John's  appearing  at  my 
bedside,  after  having  opened  the  shutter  of  my  windows. 

"  I  declare  to  you,  Mr.  Hugh,"  began  this  well-meaning, 
but  sometimes  officious  servant,  "  I  don't  know  what  will 
come  next  at  Ravensnest,  now  the  evil  spirit  has  got  upper 
most  among  the  inhabitants  !" 

"  Tut,  tut,  John — what  you  call  the  evil  spirit  is  only  the 
*  Spirit  of  the  Institutions ;'  and  is  to  be  honoured,  instead 
of  disliked." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  don't  know  what  they  calls  it,  for  they  talks 
so  much  about  the  hinstitutions  in  this  country,  I  never  can 
find  out  what  they  would  be  at.  There  was  a  hinstitution 
near  where  I  lived  in  my  last  place,  at  the  West  End,  in 
Lon'on,  and  there  they  taught  young  masters  to  speak  and 
write  Latin  and  Greek.  But  hinstitutions  in  IJamerica  must 
mean  something,  for  them  as  doesn't  know  any  more  Latin 
than  I  do  seems  to  be  quite  hintimate  with  these  Hamerican 
hinstitutions.  But,  Mr.  Hugh,  would  you,  could  you,  be 
lieve  the  people  committed  parricide  last  night  ?" 

"  I  am  not  at  all  surprised  at  it,  for,  to  me,  they  have 
seemed  to  be  bent  on  matricide  for  some  time,  calling  the 
country  their  mother." 

"  It 's  hawful,  sir — it 's  truly  hawful,  when  a  whole  people 
commits  such  a  crime  as  parricide  !  I  know'd  you  would 
be  shocked  to  hear  it,  Mr.  Hugh,  and  so  I  just  came  in  to 
let  you  know  it." 

"  I  am  infinitely  obliged  to  you  for  this  attention,  my 
good  fellow,  and  shall  be  still  more  so  when  you  tell  me  all 
about  it." 

"  Yes,  sir,  most  willingly,  and  most  unwillingly,  too. 
But  there  's  no  use  in  'iding  the  fact ;  it 's  gone,  Mr.  Hugh  !" 

"  What  is  gone,  John  ?  —  Speak  out,  my  good  fellow  ;  1 
can  bear  it." 

"  The  pew,  sir — or,  rather  that  beautiful  canopy  that  co 
vered  it,  and  made  it  look  so  much  like  the  Lc-d  Mayor's  seat 
34* 


402  THE     REUSKINS. 

in  Guildhall.     1  'ave  hadmired  and  honoured  that  canopy 
sir,  as  the  most  helegant  hobject  in  this  country,  sir." 

"  So  they  have  destroyed  it  at  last,  have  they?  Encour 
aged  and  sustained  by  an  expression  of  public  sentiment,  aa 
proclaimed  in  a  meeting  that  had  a  chairman  and  secretary, 
they  have  actually  cut  it  down,  I  suppose?" 

"  They  have,  sir ;  and  a  pretty  job  they  've  made  of  it. 
There  it  stands,  up  at  Miller's,  hover  his  pig-pen  !" 

This  was  not  a  very  heroic  termination  of  the  career  of 
the  obnoxious  canopy ;  but  it  was  one  that  made  me  laugh 
heartily.  John  was  a  little  offended  at  this  levity,  and  he 
soon  left  me  to  finish  my  toilet  by  myself.  I  dare  say, 
many  of  the  honest  folk  of  Ravensnest  would  have  been  as 
much  surprised  as  John  himself,  at  the  indifference  I  mani 
fested  at  the  fate  of  this  dignified  pew.  But,  certainly,  so 
far  as  my  own  social  elevation,  or  social  depression,  were 
concerned,  I  cared  nothing  about  it.  It  left  me  just  where  I 
w'as — neither  greater  nor  otherwise ;  and  as  for  any  monu 
ments  to  let  the  world  know  who  my  predecessors  had  been, 
or  who  I  was  at  that  moment,  the  country  itself,  or  the  part 
of  it  in  which  we  dwelt,  was  sufficient.  Its  history  must 
be  forgotten,  or  changed,  before  our  position  could  be  mis 
taken  ;  though  I  dare  say,  the  time  will  come  when  some 
extremely  sublimated  friend  of  equality  will  wish  to  extin 
guish  all  the  lights  of  the  past,  in  order  that  there  may  not 
exist  that  very  offensive  distinction  of  one  man's  name 
being  illustrated,  while  another  man's  name  is  not.  The 
pride  of  family  is  justly  deemed  the  most  offensive  of  all 
pride,  since  a  man  may  value  himself  on  a  possession  to 
which  he  has  not  the  smallest  claim  in  the  way  of  personal 
merit,  while  those  of  the  highest  personal  claims  are  alto 
gether  deprived  of  an  advantage,  to  the  enjoyment  of  which 
ancestors  alone  have  created  the  right.  Now,  the  institu 
tions,  both  in  their  letter  and  their  spirit,  do  favour  justice. 
in  this  particular,  as  far  as  they  can  ;  though  even  they  are 
obliged  to  sustain  one  of  the  most  potent  agents  to  such  dis 
tinctions,  by  declaring,  through  the  laws,  that  the  child 
shall  succeed  to  the  estate  of  the  father.  When  we  shall 
get  every  thing  straight,  and  as  it  ought  to  be,  in  this  pro 
gressive  country,  Heaven  only  knows ;  for  I  find  my  tenants 
stress  on  the  fact  that  their  fathers  have  leased  my 


THE     REDSKINS.  403 

lands  for  generations,  while  they  are  quite  willing  to  forget 
that  my  fathers  were  the  lessors  all  the  while. 

I  found  all  four  of  the  girls  on  the  piazza,  breathing  the 
air  of  as  balmy  a  summer  morning  as  a  bountiful  nature 
ever  bestowed.  They  had  heard  of  the  fate  6f  the  canopy, 
which  affected  them  differently,  and  somewhat  according  to 
temperament.  Henrietta  Coldbrooke  laughed  at  it  violently, 
and  in  a  way  I  did  not  like ;  your  laughing  young  lady 
rarely  having  much  beyond  merriment  in  her.  I  make 
all  allowance  for  youthful  spirits,  and  a  natural  disposition 
to  turn  things  into  fun ;  but  it  was  too  much  to  laugh  at  this 
exploit  of  the  anti-renters,  for  quite  half  an  hour  together 
I  liked  Anne  Marston's  manner  of  regarding  it  better.  She 
smiled  a  good  deal,  and  laughed  just  enough  to  show  that 
she  was  not  insensible  to  the  effect  of  an  absurdity ;  and 
then  she  looked  as  if  she  felt  that  a  wrong  had  been  done. 
As  for  Patt,  she  was  quite  indignant  at  the  insult ;  nor  was 
she  very  backward  in  letting  her  opinions  be  known.  But 
Mary  Warren's  manner  of  viewing  the  affair  pleased  me 
best,  as  indeed  was  fast  getting  to  be  the  fact  with  most  of 
her  notions  and  conceits.  She  manifested  neither  levity  nor 
resentment.  Once  or  twice,  when  a  droll  remark  escaped 
Henrietta,  she  laughed  a  little ;  a  very  little,  and  involunta 
rily,  as  it  might  be — just  enough  to  prove  that  there  was 
fun  in  her  —  when  she  would  make  some  sensible  observa 
iion,  to  the  effect  that  the  evil  temper  that  was  up  in  the 
country  was  the  true  part  of  the  transaction  that  deserved 
attention  ;  and  that  she  felt  this  as  well  as  saw  it.  Nobody 
seemed  to  care  for  the  canopy  —  not  even  my  excellent 
grandmother,  in  whose  youth  the  church  had  been  built, 
when  distinctions  of  this  sort  were  more  in  accordance  with 
the  temper  and  habits  of  the  times,  than  they  are  to-day.  I 
had  been  on  the  piazza  just  long  enough  to  note  this  differ 
ence  in  the  manner  of  the  girls,  when  my  grandmother 
joined  us. 

"  Oh  !  grandmother,  have  you  heard  what  those  wretches 
of*  Injins,'  as  they  are  rightly  named,  have  been  doing  with 
the  canopy  of  the  pew?"  cried  Patt,  who  had  been  at  the 
bedside  of  our  venerable  parent,  and  kissed  her  an  hour  be 
fore  :  "  they  have  torn  it  down,  and  placed  it  over  the  pen 
of  the  pigs !" 


404  THE    REDSKINS. 

A  common  laugh,  in  which  Patt  herself  now  joined,  in 
terrupted  the  answer  for  a  moment,  old  Mrs.  Littlepage  her. 
self  manifesting  a  slight  disposition  to  make  one  of  the 
amused. 

"  I  have  heard  it  all,  my  dear,"  returned  my  grandmo 
ther,  "  and,  on  the  whole,  think  the  thing  is  well  enough 
gotten  rid  of.  I  do  not  believe  it  would  have  done  for  Hugh 
to  have  had  it  taken  down,  under  a  menace,  while  it  is  per 
haps  better  that  it  should  no  longer  stand." 

"  Were  such  things  common,  in  your  youth,  Mrs.  Little- 
uage  ?"  asked  Mary  Warren. 

"  Far  from  uncommon ;  though  less  so  in  country  than  in 
town  churches.  You  will  remember  that  we  were  but  re 
cently  separated  from  England,  when  St.  Andrew's  was 
built,  and  that  most  of  the  old  colonial  ideas  prevailed  among 
us.  People,  in  that  day,  had  very  different  notions  of  social 
station,  from  those  which  now  exist ;  and  New  York  was, 
in  a  certain  sense,  one  of  the  most,  perhaps  the  most  aristo- 
cratical  colony  in  the  country.  It  was  somewhat  so  under 
the  Dutch,  republicans  as  they  were,  with  its  patroons ;  but 
when  the  colony  was  transferred  to  the  English,  it  became 
a  royal  colony  at  once,  and  English  notions  were  introduced 
as  a  matter  of  course.  In  no  other  colony  was  there  as 
many  manors,  perhaps ;  the  slavery  of  the  south  introduc 
ing  quite  a  different  system  there,  while  the  policy  of  Penn 
and  of  New  England,  generally,  was  more  democratic.  I 
apprehend,  Roger,  that  we  owe  this  anti-rent  struggle,  and 
particularly  the  feebleness  with  which  it  is  resisted,  to  the 
difference  of  opinion  that  prevails  among  the  people  of  New 
England,  who  have  sent  so  many  immigrants  among  us, 
and  our  own  purely  New  York  notions." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  my  dear  mother,"  answered  my 
uncle,  "  though  New  Yorkers,  by  descent,  are  not  wanting 
among  the  tenants,  to  sustain  the  innovation.  The  last  act 
either  from  direct  cupidity,  or  to  gain  popularity  with  a  set 
whereas,  as  I  view  the  matter,  the  first  are  influenced  by 
the  notions  of  the  state  of  society  from  which  either  they 
themselves,  or  their  parents,  were  directly  derived.  A  very 
large  proportion  of  the  present  population  of  New  York  is 
of  New  England  origin.  Perhaps  one-third  have  this  ex- 
traction,  either  as  born  there,  or  as  the  sons  or  grandsons 


THE     REDSKINS.  405 

of  those  who  were.  Now,  in  New  England  generally,  great 
equality  of  condition  exists,  more  especially  when  you  rise 
above  the  lower  classes ;  there  being  very  few,  out  of  the 
large  trading  towns,  who  would  be  deemed  rich  in  New 
York,  and  scarcely  such  a  thing  as  a  large  landholder,  at 
all.  The  relation  of  landlord  and  tenant,  as  connected  with 
what  we  should  term  estates,  is  virtually  unknown  to  New 
England ;  though  Maine  may  afford  some  exceptions.  This 
circumstance  is  owing  to  the  peculiar  origin  of  the  people, 
and  to  the  fact  that  emigration  has  so  long  carried  off  the 
surplus  population  ;  the  bulk  of  those  who  remain  being  able 
to  possess  freeholds.  There  is  a  natural  antipathy  in  men 
who  have  been  educated  in  such  a  state  of  society,  to  any 
thing  that  seems  to  place  others  in  positions  they  do  not, 
and  cannot  occupy  themselves.  Now,  while  the  population 
of  New  York  may  be  one-third,  perhaps,  of  New  England 
descent,  arid  consequently  more  or  less  of  New  England 
notions,  a  much  larger  proportion  of  the  lawyers,  editors  of 
newspapers,  physicians,  and  active  politicians,  are  of  that 
class.  We  think  little,  and  talk  little  of  these  circumstances ; 
for  no  nation  inquires  into  its  moral  influences,  and  what  I 
may  call  its  political  statistics,  less  than  the  Americans; 
but  they  produce  large  consequences." 

"  Am  I  to  understand  you,  sir,  to  say  that  anti-rentism  19 
of  New  England  origin?" 

"  Perhaps  not.  Its  origin  was  probably  more  directly 
derived,  from  the  devil,  who  has  tempted  the  tenants  as  he  is 
known  once  to  have  tempted  the  Saviour.  The  outbreak 
was  originally  among  the  descendants  of  the  Dutch,  for  they 
happened  to  be  the  tenants,  and,  as  for  the  theories  that 
have  been  broached,  they  savour  more  of  the  reaction  of 
European  abuses,  than  of  anything  American  at  all ;  and 
least  of  all  of  anything  from  New  England,  where  there  is 
generally  a  great  respect  for  the  rights  of  property,  and  un 
usual  reverence  for  the  law.  Still,  I  think  we  owe  our 
greatest  danger  to  the  opinions  and  habits  of  those  of  New 
England  descent  among  us." 

"  This  seems  a  little  paradoxical,  uncle  Ro,  and  I  confess 
I  should  like  to  hear  it  explained." 

"  I  will  endeavour  so  to  do,  and  in  as  few  words  as  pos 
sible.  The  real  danger  is  among  those  who  influence  legis- 


406  THE    REDSKINS. 

lation.  Now,  you  will  find  hundreds  of  men  among  us,  who 
feel  the  vast  importance  of  respecting  contracts,  who  perceive 
much  of  the  danger  of  anti-rentisrn,  and  who  wish  to  see  it 
defeated  in  its  violent  and  most  offensive  forms,  but  who 
lean  against  the  great  landlords,  on  account  of  those  secret 
iealousies  which  cause  most  men  to  dislike  advantages  in 
which  they  do  not  share,  and  who  would  gladly  enough  see 
all  leases  abolished,  if  it  could  be  done  without  a  too  violent 
conflict  with  justice.  When  you  talk  with  these  men,  they 
will  make  you  the  common-place  but  unmeaning  profession 
of  wishing  to  see  every  husbandman  the  owner  in  fee  of  his 
farm,  instead  of  a  tenant,  and  that  it  is  a  hardship  to  pay 
rent,  and  quantities  of  such  twaddle.  Henry  the  Fourth,  in 
a  much  better  spirit,  is  said  to  have  wished  that  each  of  his 
subjects  had  "  une  poule  dans  son  pot"  but  that  wish  did 
not  put  it  there.  So  it  is  with  this  idle  profession  of  wishing 
to  see  every  American  husbandman  a  freeholder.  We  all 
know  such  a  state  of  society  never  did  exist,  and  probably 
never  will ;  and  it  is  merely  placing  a  vapid  pretension  to 
philanthropy  in  the  fore-ground  of  a  picture  that  should 
rigidly  represent  things  as  they  are.  For  my  part,  I  am 
one  of  those  who  do  not  believe  that  this  or  any  other  country 
would  be  any  the  better  for  dispensing  with  landlords  and 
tenants." 

"  Mr.  Littlepage  !"  exclaimed  Mary  Warren,  "  you  surely 
do  not  mean  that  competency  widely  diffused,  is  not  better 
than  wealth  in  a  few  hands,  and  poverty  in  a  great  many  !" 

"  No,  I  shall  not  go  as  far  as  that ;  but,  I  do  say  that 
what  this  country  most  wants  just  now,  is  precisely  the  class 
that  is  connected  with  the  independence  of  character  and 
station,  the  leisure  with  its  attendant  cultivation  and  refine 
ment,  and  the  principles  as  well  as  taste  that  are  connected 
with  all." 

"Principles!  Mr.  Littlepage!"  added  my  uncle's  sweet 
interlocutor ;  "  my  father  would  hardly  uphold  that,  though 
he  agrees  with  you  in  so  much  of  what  you  say." 

"  I  do  not  know  that.  I  repeat  the  word  principles  ;  for 
when  you  have  a  class  of  men,  who  are  removed  from  a 
large  range  of  temptations,  without  being  placed  above  public 
opinion,  you  got  precisely  those  who  are  most  likely  to  up- 
hold  that  sort  of  secondary,  but  highly  useful  morals  which 


THE     REDSKINS.  407 

are  not  directly  derived  from  purely  religious  duties. 
Against  the  last  I  shall  not  say  one  word,  as  it  comes  from 
the  grace,  which  is  of  the  power  of  God,  and  is  happily  as 
accessible  to  the  poor  as  to  the  rich,  and  more  too ;  but,  of 
men  as  they  are,  not  one  in  a  hundred  regulates  his  life  by 
a  standard  created  under  such  impulses ;  and  even  when  they 
do,  the  standard  itself  is,  in  some  degree,  qualified  by  the 
ordinary  notions,  I  apprehend.  The  Christian  morality  of  an 
East  Indian  is  not  identical  with  that  of  a  Puritan,  or  that 
of  a  man  of  highly  cultivated  mind, .with  that  of  one  who 
has  enjoyed  fewer  advantages.  There  is  one  class  of  prin 
ciples,  embracing  all  those  that  are  adverse  to  the  littlenesses 
of  daily  practice,  which  is  much  the  more  extended  among 
the  liberal-minded  and  educated,  and  it  is  to  that  set  of  prin 
ciples  I  refer.  Now  we  want  a  due  proportion  of  that  class 
of  men,  as  our  society  is  getting  to  be  organized ;  of  those 
who  are  superior  to  meannesses." 

"  All  this  would  be  deemed  atrociously  aristocratic,  were 
it  told  in  Gath  !"  exclaimed  Patt,  laughing. 

"  It  is  atrociously  common  sense,  notwithstanding^"  an 
swered  my  uncle,  who  was  not  to  be  laughed  out  of  any 
thing  he  felt  to  be  true  ;  "  and  the  facts  will  show  it.  New 
England  early  established  a  system  of  common  schools,  and 
no  part  of  the  world,  perhaps,  has  a  population  that  is  better 
grounded  in  intelligence.  This  has  been  the  case  so  long 
as  to  put  the  people  of  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts,  for 
instance,  as  a  whole,  materially  in  advance  of  the  people  of 
any  other  State,  New  York  included ;  although,  by  taking 
the  system  from  our  eastern  brethren,  we  are  now  doing 
pretty  well.  Notwithstanding,  who  will  say  that  New  Eng 
land  is  as  far  advanced,  in  many  material  things,  as  the 
middle  States.  To  begin  with  the  kitchen — her  best  cookery 
is  much  below  that  of  even  the  humbler  classes  of  the  true 
middle  States'  families :  take  her  language  for  another  test, 
it  is  provincial  and  vulgar;  and  there  is  no  exaggeration  in 
saying  that  the  labouring  classes  of  the  middle  States,  if  not 
of  New  England  origin,  use  better  English  than  thousands 
of  educated  men  in  New  England  itself.  Both  of  these  pe 
culiarities,  as  I  conceive,  come  from  the  fact  that  in  one 
part  of  the  country  there  has  been  a  class  to  give  a  tone 
that  does  not  exist  in  the  other.  The  gentlemen  of  the  larger 


408  THE     REDSKINS. 

towns  in  the  east  have  an  influence  where  they  live,  no 
doubt ;  but  in  the  interior,  as  no  one  leads,  all  these  matters 
are  left  to  the  common  mind  to  get  along  with,  as  well  as  it 
can." 

"  Aristocratic,  sir — rank  aristocracy  !" 

"  If  it  be,  has  aristocracy,  as  you  call  it,  which  in  this 
instance  must  only  mean  decided  social  position,  no  advan 
tages  1  Is  not  even  a  wealthy  idler  of  some  use  in  a  nation  1 
He  contributes  his  full  share  to  the  higher  civilization  that 
is  connected  with  the  tastes  and  refinements,  and,  in  fact, 
he  forms  it.  In  Europe  they  will  tell  you  that  a  court  is 
necessary  to  such  civilization ;  but  facts  contradict  the 
theory.  Social  classes,  no  doubt,  are ;  but  they  can  exist 
independently  of  courts,  as  they  can,  have,  do,  and  ever  will 
in  the  face  of  democracy.  Now,  connect  this  class  with  the 
landed  interest,  and  see  how  much  your  chances  for  mate 
rial  improvement  are  increased.  Coke,  of  Norfolk,  proba 
bly  conferred  more  benefit  on  the  husbandry  of  England 
than  all  the  mere  operatives  that  existed  in  his  time.  It  is 
from  such  men,  indeed,  from  their  enterprise  and  their 
means,  that  nearly  all  the  greater  benefits  come.  The  fine 
wool  of  America  is  mainly  owing  to  Livingston's  connection 
with  land;  and  if  you  drive  such  men  out  of  existence,  you 
must  drive  the  benefits  they  confer  with  them.  A  body  of 
intelligent,  well-educated,  liberalized  landlords,  scatterea 
through  New  York,  would  have  more  effect  in  advancing 
the  highest  interests  of  the  community  than  all  the  '  small 
potato'  lawyers  and  governors  you  can  name  in  a  twelve 
month.  What  is  more,  this  is  just  the  state  of  society  in 
which  to  reap  all  the  benefits  of  such  a  class,  without  the 
evils  of  a  real  aristocracy.  They  are  and  would  be  with 
out  any  particular  political  power,  and  there  is  no  danger 
of  corn-laws  and  exclusive  legislation  for  their  benefit.  Rich 
and  poor  we  must  have;  and  let  any  fair-minded  man  say 
whether  he  wish  a  state  of  things  in  which  the  first  shall 
have  no  inducement  to  take  an  extended  interest  in  real 
estate,  and  the  last  no  chance  to  become  agriculturists,  ex 
cept  as  hired  labourers?" 

"  You  do  not  mince  matters,  uncle  Ro,"  put  in  Patt,  "  and 
will  never  go  to  Congress.7' 

"  That  may  be,  my  dear ;  but  I  shall  retain  my  own  self. 


THE     REDSKINS.  409 

respect  by  fair  dealing.  What  I  say  I  mean,  while  many 
who  take  the  other  side  do  not.  I  say  that,  in  a  country 
like  this,  in  which  land  is  so  abundant  as  to  render  the  evils 
of  a  general  monopoly  impossible,  a  landed  gentry  is  pre 
cisely  what  is  most  needed  .for  the  higher  order  of  civiliza 
tion,  including  manners,  tastes,  and  the  minor  principles, 
and  is  the  very  class  which,  if  reasonably  maintained  and 
properly  regarded,  would  do  the  most  good  at  the  least  risk 
of  any  social  caste  known.  They  have  always  existed  in 
New  York,  though  with  a  lessening  influence,  and  are  the 
reason,  in  my  judgment,  why  we  are  so  much  before  New 
England  in  particular  things,  while  certainly  behind  that 
quarter  of  the  country  in  many  others  that  are  dependent 
on  ordinary  schooling." 

"  I  like  to  hear  a  person  maintain  his  opinions  frankly 
and  manfully,"  said  my  grandmother ;  "  and  this  have  you 
done,  Roger,  from  boyhood.  My  own  family,  on  my  fa 
ther's  side,  was  from  New  England,  and  I  subscribe  to  a 
great  deal  that  you  say ;  and  particularly  to  the  part  that 
relates  to  the  apathy  of  the  public  to  this  great  wrong.  It 
is  now  time,  however,  to  go  to  the  breakfast-table,  as  John 
has  been  bowing  in  the  door,  yonder,  for  the  last  minute  or 
two." 

To  breakfast  we  went ;  and,  notwithstanding  incendiaries, 
^  anti-rentism,  and  canopies  of  pig-pens,  a  merry  time  we  had 
of  it.  Henrietta  Coldbrooke  and  Anne  Marston  never  came 
out  with  more  spirit,  though  in  their  several  ways,  than  each 
did  that  morning.  I  believe  I  looked  a  little  surprised,  for 
I  observed  that  my  uncle  stole  occasional  glances  at  me, 
that  seemed  to  say  —  "there,  my  fine  fellow,  what  do  you 
think  of  that,  now  ?"  whenever  either  of  his  wards  uttered 
anything  that  he  fancied  cleverer  than  common. 

"  Have  you  heard,  ma'am,"  asked  my  uncle  Ro  of  my 
grandmother,  "  that  we  are  to  have  old  Sus  and  Jaaf  here 
at  the  Nest,  shortly,  and  both  in  grand  costume  ?  It  seems 
the  red-men  are  about  to  depart,  and  there  is  to  be  smoking 
of  pipes,  and  a  great  council,  which  the  Trackless  fancies 
will  be  more  dignified  if  held  in  front  of  the  house  of  his 
pale-face  friends,  than  if  held  at  his  own  hut." 

"  How  did  you  ascertain  that,  Roger  ?" 

"  I  have  been  at  the  wigwam,  this  morning,  and  have  the 
35 


410  THE     REDSKINS. 

fact  directly  from  the  Onondago,  as  well  as  from  the  inter 
preter,  whom  I  met  there.  By  the  way,  Hugh,  we  must 
shortly  decide  what  is  to  be  done  with  the  prisoners,  or  we 
shall  have  writs  of  habeas  corpus  served  on  us,  to  know 
why  we  detain  them." 

"  Is  it  possible,  uncle  Ro,"  for  so  his  wards  called  him 
habitually  —  "  to  rescue  a  gentleman  from  the  gallows  by 
marrying  him?"  asked  Henrietta  Coldbrooke,  demurely. 

"  That  is  so  strange  a  question,  that  as  a  guardian  I  fee 
curious- to  hear  its  meaning." 

"Tell  —  tell  at  once,  Henrietta"  —  said  the  other  ward, 
urging  her  companion  to  speak.  "  I  will  save  your  blushes, 
and  act  as  your  interpreter.  Miss  Coldbrooke  was  honoured 
by  Mr.  Seneca  Newcome  with  this  letter,  within  the  last 
twenty-four  hours ;  and,  it  being  a  family  matter,  I  think  it 
ought  to  be  referred  to  a  family  council." 

"  Nay,  Anne,"  said  the  blushing  Henrietta,  "  this  is  hardly 
fair — nor  am  I  sure  that  it  would  be  quite  lady-like  in  me 
to  suffer  that  letter  to  be  generally  known — particularly 
known  to  you,  it  certainly  is,  already." 

"  Perhaps  your  reluctance  to  have  it  read  d6es  not  extend 
to  me,  Henrietta  ?"  said  my  uncle. 

"  Certainly  not,  sir;  nor  to  my  dear  Mrs.  Littlepage,  nor 
to  Martha — though  I  confess  that  I  cannot  see  what  interest 
Mr.  Hugh  can  have  in  the  subject.  Here  it  is ;  take  it  and 
read  it  when  you  please." 

My  uncle  was  pleased  to  read  it  on  the  spot.  As  he  pro 
ceeded,  a  frown  collected  on  his  brow,  and  he  bit  his  lip, 
like  one  provoked  as  well  as  vexed.  Then  he  laughed,  and 
threw  the  letter  on  the  table,  where  no  one  presumed  to 
molest  it.  As  Henrietta  Coldbrooke  was  blushing  all  this 
time,  though  she  laughed  and  seemed  provoked,  our  curi 
osity  was  so  great  and  manifest,  that  my  grandmother  felt 
an  inclination  to  interfere. 

"  May  not  that  letter  be  read  aloud,  for  the  benefit  of  all?" 
she  asked. 

"  There  can  be  no  particular  reason  for  concealing  it," 
answered  uncle  Ro,  spitefully.  "  The  more  it  is  known, 
the  more  the  fellow  will  be  laughed  at,  as  he  deserves  to 
be." 

"Will  that  be  right,  uncle  Ro?"  exclaimed  Miss  Cold 


THE     REDSKIN  S.  411 

brooke,   hastily.     "  Will    it   be   treating    a   gentleman   as 

"Pshaw!  —  it  will  not  be  treating  a  gentleman,  at  all. 
The  fellow  is,  at  this  moment,  a  prisoner  for  attempting  to 
set  an  inhabited  house  on  fire,  in  the  middle  of  the  night." 

Henrietta  said  no  more ;  and  my  grandmother  took  the 
letter,  and  read  it  for  the  common  benefit.  I  shall  not  copy 
the  effusion  of  Seneca,  which  was  more  cunning  than  phi 
losophical  ;  but  it  contained  a  strong  profession  of  love, 
urged  in  a  somewhat  business  manner,  and  a  generous  offer 
of  his  hand  to  the  heiress  of  eight  thousand  a-year.  And 
this  proposal  was  made  only  a  day  or  two  before  the  fellow 
was  '  taken  in  the  act,'  and  at  the  very  time  he  was  the  most 
deeply  engaged  in  his  schemes  of  anti-rentism. 

"  There  is  a  class  of  men  among  us,"  said  my  uncle,  after 
everybody  had  laughed  at  this  magnificent  offer,  "  who  do 
not  seem  to  entertain  a  single  idea  of  the  proprieties.  How 
is  it  possible,  or  where  could  the  chap  have  been  bred,  to 
fancy  for  an  instant  that  a  young  woman  of  fortune  and 
station,  would  marry  him,  and  that,  too,  almost  without  an 
acquaintance.  I  dare  say  Henrietta  never  spoke  to  him  ten 
times  in  her  life." 

"  Not  five,  sir,  and  scarcely  anything  was  said  at  either 
of  those  five." 

"And  you  answered  the  letter,  my  dear?"  asked  my 
grandmother.  "  An  answer  ought  not  to  have  been  forgot 
ten  ;  though  it  might  have  properly  come,  in  this  case,  from 
your  guardian." 

"  I  answered  it  myself,  ma'am,  not  wishing  to  be  laughed 
at  for  my  part  of  the  affair.  I  declined  the  honour  of  Mr. 
Seneca  Newcome's  hand." 

"  Well,  if  the  truth  must  be  said,"  put  in  Patt,  drily,  « 1 
did  the  same  thing,  only  three  weeks  since." 

"  And  I  so  lately  as  last  week,"  added  Anne  Marston, 
demurely. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  saw  my  uncle  Ro  so  strangely 
affected.  While  everybody  around  him  was  laughing  heart 
ily,  he  looked  grave,  not  to  say  fierce.  Then  he  turned 
suddenly  to  me,  and  said — 

"  We  must  let  him  be  hanged,  Hugh.  Were  he  to  live 
a  thousand  years  he  would  never  learn  the  fitness  of  things." 

"  You'll  think  better  of  this,  sir,  and  become  rn~-<?  raer- 


412  THE     REDSKINS. 

ciful.  The  man  has  only  nobly  dared.  But  I  confess  a 
strong  desire  to  ascertain  if  Miss  Warren  alone  has  escaped 
his  assaults." 

Mary — pretty  Mary- — she  blushed  scarlet,  but  shook  her 
head,  and  refused  to  give  any  answer.  We  all  saw  that  her 
feelings  were  not  enlisted  in  the  affair  in  any  way ;  but 
there  was  evidently  something  of  a  more  serious  nature  con 
nected  with  Seneca's  addresses  to  her  than  in  connection 
with  his  addresses  to  either  of  the  others.  As  I  have  since 
ascertained,  he  really  had  a  sort  of  affection  for  Mary;  and 
I  have  been  ready  to  pardon  him  the  unprincipled  and  im 
pudent  manner  in  which  he  cast  his  flies  towards  the  other 
fish,  in  consideration  of  his  taste  in  this  particular.  But 
Mary  herself  would  tell  us  nothing. 

"  You  are  not  to  think  so  much  of  this,  Mr.  Littlepage," 
she  cried,  so  soon  as  a  little  recovered  from  her  confusion, 
"  since  it  is  only  acting  on  the  great  anti-rent  principle,  after 
all.  In  the  one  case,  it  is  only  a  wish  to  get  good  farms 
cheap — and  in  the  other,  good  wives." 

"  In  the  one  case,  other  men's  farms  —  and  in  the  other, 
other  men's  wives." 

"  Other  men's  wives,  certainly,  if  wives  at  all,"  said  Patt, 
pointedly.  "  There  is  no  Mr.  Seneky  Newcome  there." 

"  We  must  let  the  law  have  its  way,  and  the  fellow  be 
hanged!"  rejoined  my  uncle.  "  I  could  overlook  the  attempt 
to  burn  the  Nest  House,  but  I  cannot  overlook  this.  Fel 
lows  of  his  class  get  everything  dessus  dessous,  and  I  do  not 
wonder  there  is  anti-rentism  in  the  land.  Such  a  matrimo 
nial  experiment  could  never  have  been  attempted,  as  between 
such  parties,  in  any  region  but  one  tainted  with  anti-rentism, 
or  deluded  by  the  devil." 

"An  Irishman  would  have  included  my  grandmother  in 
his  cast  of  the  net ;  that 's  the  only  difference,  sir." 

"  Sure  enough,  why  have  you  escaped,  my  dearest  mother? 
Vou,  who  have  a  fair  widow's  portion,  too." 

"  Because  the  suitor  was  not  an  Irishman,  as  Hugh  inti 
mated, — I  know  no  other  reason,  Hodge.  But  a  person  so 
devoted  to  the  ladies  must  not  suffer  in  the  cruel  way  you 
speak  of.  The  wretch  must  be  permitted  to  get  off." 

All  the  girls  now  joined  with  my  grandmother  in  prefer 
ring  this,  to  them,  very  natural  petition;  and,  for  a  few 


THE     REDSKINS.  413 

minutes,  we  heard  of  nothing  but  regrets,  and  solicitations 
that  Seneca  might  not  be  given  up  to  the  law.  "  Tender  mer 
cies  of  the  law"  might  not  be  an  unapt  way  to  express  the 
idea,  as  it  is  now  almost  certain  that  the  bigger  the  rogue, 
the  greater  is  the  chance  of  escape. 

"  All  this  is  very  well,  ladies ;  mighty  humane  and  femi 
nine,  and  quite  in  character,"  answered  my  uncle;  "but, 
in  the  first  place,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  compounding 
felony,  and  its  consequences  are  not  altogether  agreeable  ; 
then,  one  is  bound  to  consider  the  effect  on  society  in  general. 
Here  is  a  fellow  who  first  endeavours  to  raise  a  flame  in  the 
hearts  of  no  less  than  four  young  ladies ;  failing  of  which, 
he  takes  refuge  in  lighting  a  fire  in  Hugh's  kitchen.  Do 
you  know,  I  am  almost  as  much  disposed  to  punish  hirn  for 
the  first  of  these  offences  as  for  the  last?" 

"  There 's  a  grand  movement  as  is  making  among  all  the 
redskins,  ma'am,"  said  John,  standing  in  the  door  of  the 
breakfast  parlour,  "  and  I  did  n't  know  but  the  ladies,  and 
Mr.  Littlepage,  and  Mr.  Hugh,  would  like  to  see  it.  Old 
Sus  is  on  his  way  here,  followed  by  Yop,  who  comes  grum 
bling  along  after  him,  as  if  he  did  n't  like  the  amusement 
any  way  at  all." 

"  Have  any  arrangements  been  made  for  the  proper  re 
ception  of  our  guests  this  morning,  Roger?" 

"  Yes,  ma'am.  At  least,  I  gave  orders  to  have  benches 
brought  and  placed  under  the  trees,  and  plenty  of  tobacco 
provided.  Smoking  is  a  great  part  of  a  council,  I  believe, 
and  we  shall  be  ready  to  commence  at  that  as  soon  as  they 
•neet." 

"  Yes,  sir,  all  is  ready  for  'em,"  resumed  John.  "  Miller 
has  sent  an  'orse  cart  to  bring  the  benches,  and  we  've  pro 
vided  as  much  'baccy  as  they  can  use.  The  servants  'opes, 
ma'am,  they  can  have  permission  to  witness  the  ceremony. 
It  is  n't  often  that  civilized  people  can  get  a  sight  at  real 
savages." 

My  grandmother  gave  an  assent,  and  there  was  a  general 
movement,  preparatory  to  going  on  the  lawn  to  witness  the 
parting  interview  between  the  Trackless  and  his  visiters. 

"  You  have  been  very  considerate,  Miss  Warren,"  I 
whispered  Mary,  as  I  helped  her  to  put  on  her  shawl  "  in 
35* 


414  THE    REDSKINS. 

not  betiaying  what  I  fancy  is  the  most  important  of  aL 
Seneca's  love  secrets." 

"  I  confess  these  letters  have  surprised  me,"  the  dear  girl 
said  thoughtfully,  and  with  a  look  that  seemed  perplexed. 
"  No  one  would  be  apt  to  think  very  favourably  of  Mr. 
Nevvcome ;  yet  it  was  by  no  means  necessary  to  complete 
his  character,  that  one  should  think  as  ill  as  this." 

I  said  no  more, — but  these  few  words,  which  appeared  to 
escape  Mary  unconsciously  and  involuntarily,  satisfied  me 
that  Seneca  had  been  seriously  endeavouring  to  obtain  an 
interest  in  her  heart  notwithstanding  her  poverty. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

«  And  underneath  that  face  like  summer's  dreams, 
Its  lips  as  moveless,  and  its  cheek  as  clear, 
Slumbers  a  whirlwind  of  the  heart's  emotions, 
Love,  hatred,  pride,  hope,  sorrow — all  save  fear." 

HALLECK. 

THE  only  singularity  connected  with  the  great  age  of  the 
Indian  and  the  negro,  was  the  fact  that  they  should  have 
been  associates  for  near  a  century,  and  so  long  intimately 
united  in  adventures  and  friendship.  I  say  friendship,  for 
the  term  was  not  at  all  unsuited  to  the  feeling  that  connected 
these  old  men  together,  though  they  had  so  little  in  common, 
in  the  way  of  character.  While  the  Indian  possessed  all  the 
manly  and  high  qualities  of  a  warrior  of  the  woods,  of  a 
chief,  and  of  one  who  had  never  acknowledged  a  superior, 
the  other  was  necessarily  distinguished  by  many  of  the 
wickednesses  of  a  state  of  servitude  ;  the  bitter  consequences 
of  a  degraded  caste.  Fortunately,  both  were  temperate,  by 
no  means  an  every-day  virtue  amon^  the  red-men  who  dwelt 
with  the  whites,  though  much  more  so  with  the  blacks.  But 
Susquesus  was  born  an  Onondago,  a  tribe  remarkable  for 
its  sobriety,  and  at  no  period  of  his  long  life  would  he  taste 


THE     REDSKINS.  415 

intoxicating  drink,  while  Jaaf  was  essentially  a  sober 
,  though  he  had  a  thorough  «  nigger'  relish  for  hard 
cicrer.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  these  two  aged  memo 
rials  of  past  ages,  and  almost  forgotten  generations,  owed 
their  health  and  strength  to  their  temperance,  fortifying  na 
tural  predispositions  to  tenacity  of  life. 

It  was  always  thought  Jaaf  was  a  little  the  senior  of  the 
Indian,  though  the  difference  in  their  ages  could  not  be 
great.  It  is  certain  that  the  red-man  retained  much  the 
most  of  his  bodily  powers,  though,  for  fifty  years,  he  had 
taxed  them  the  least.  Susquesus  never  worked  ;  never  would 
work  in  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  term.  He  deemed  it 
to  be  beneath  his  dignity  as  a  warrior,  and,  I  have  heard  it 
said,  that  nothing  but  necessity  could  have  induced  him  to 
plant,  or  hoe,  even  when  in  his  prime.  So  long  as  the 
boundless  forest  furnished  the  deer,  the  moose,  the  beaver, 
the  bear,  and  the  other  animals  that  it  is  usual  for  the  red- 
man  to  convert  into  food,  he  had  cared  little  for  the  fruits  of 
the  earth,  beyond  those  that  were  found  growing  in  their 
native  state.  His  hunts  were  the  last  regular  occupation 
that  the  old  man  abandoned.  He  carried  the  rifle,  and 
threaded  the  woods  with  considerable  vigour  after  he  had 
seen  a  hundred  winters ;  but  the  game  deserted  him,  under 
the  never-dying  process  of  clearing  acre  after  acre,  until 
little  of  the  native  forest  was  left,  with  the  exception  of  the 
reservation  of  my  own,  already  named,  and  the  pieces  of 
woodland  that  are  almost  invariably  attached  to  every  Ame 
rican  farm,  lending  to  the  landscape  a  relief  and  beauty 
that  are  usually  wanting  to  the  views  of  older  countries. 
It  is  this  peculiarity  which  gives  so  many  of  the  views  of 
the  republic,  nay,  it  may  be  said  to  all  of  them,  so  much  of 
the  character  of  park-scenery  when  seen  at  a  distance  that 
excludes  the  blemishes  of  a  want  of  finish,  and  the  coarser 
appliances  of  husbandry. 

With  Jaaf,  though  he  had  imbibed  a  strong  relish  for  the 
forest,  and  for  forest-life,  it  was  different  in  many  respects. 
Accustomed  to  labour  from  childhood,  he  could  not  be  kept 
from  work,  even  by  his  extreme  old  age.  He  had  the  hoe, 
or  the  axe,  or  the  spade  in  his  hand  daily,  many  years  after 
he  could  wield  either  to  any  material  advantage.  The  little 
he  did  in  this  way,  now,  was  not  done  to  kill  thought,  for  he 


416  THE     REDSKINS. 

never  had  any  to  kill ;  it  was  purely  the  effect  of  habit,  and 
of  a  craving  desire  to  be  Jaaf  still,  and  to  act  his  life  ovef 
again. 

I  am  sorry  to  say  that  neither  of  these  men  had  any 
essential  knowledge,  or  any  visible  feeling  for  the  truths  of 
Christianity.  A  hundred  years  ago,  little  spiritual  care  was 
extended  to  the  black,  and  the  difficulty  of  making  an  im 
pression,  in  this  way,  on  the  Indian,  has  become  matter  of 
history.  Perhaps  success  best  attends  such  efforts  when  the 
pious  missionary  can  penetrate  to  the  retired  village,  and 
disseminate  his  doctrines  far  from  the  miserable  illustration 
of  their  effects,  thart  is  to  be  hourly  traced,  by  the  most  casual 
observer,  amid  the  haunts  of  civilized  men.  That  Christi 
anity  does  produce  a  deep  and  benign  influence  on  our  social 
condition  cannot  be  doubted;  but  he  who  is  only  superficially 
acquainted  with  Christian  nations,  as  they  are  called,  and 
sets  about  tracing  the  effects  of  this  influence,  meets  with  so 
many  proofs  of  a  contrary  nature,  as  to  feel  a  strong  dispo 
sition  to  doubt  the  truth  of  dogmas  that  seem  so  impotent. 
It  is  quite  likely  such  was  the  case  with  Susquesus,  who  had 
passed  all  the  earlier  years  of  his  exclusive  association  with 
the  pale-faces,  on  the  flanks  of  armies,  or  among  hunters, 
surveyors,  runners,  and  scouts  ;  situations  that  were  not 
very  likely  to  produce  any  high  notions  of  moral  culture. 
Nevertheless,  many  earnest  and  long-continued  efforts  had 
been  made  to  awaken  in  this  aged  Indian  some  notions  of 
the  future  state  of  a  pale-face,  and  to  persuade  him  to  be 
baptized.  My  grandmother,  in  particular,  had  kept  this  end 
in  view  for  quite  half  a  century,  but  with  no  success.  The 
different  clergy,  of  all  denominations,  had  paid  more  or  less 
attention  to  this  Indian,  with  the  same  object,  though  no  visi 
ble  results  had  followed  their  efforts.  Among  others,  Mr. 
Warren  had  not  overlooked  this  part  of  his  duty,  but  he  had 
met  with  no  more  success  than  those  who  had  been  before 
him.  Singular  as  it  seemed  to  some,  though  I  saw  nothing 
strange  in  it,  Mary  Warren  had  joined  m  this  benevolent 
project  with  a  gentle  zeal,  and  affectionate  and  tender  inte 
rest,  that  promised  to  achieve  more  than  had  been  even 
hoped  for  these  many  years  by  her  predecessors  in  the  same 
kind  office.  Her  visits  to  the  hut  had  been  frequent,  and  I 
•earned  that  morning  from  Patt,  that,  "  Though  Mary  her- 


THE     REDSKINS.  417 

lelf  never  spoke  on  the  subject,  enough  has  been  seen  by 
others  to  leave  no  doubt  that  her  gentle  offices  and  prayers 
had,  at  last,  touched,  in  some  slight  degree,  the  marble-like 
heart  of  the  Trackless." 

As  for  Jaaf,  it  is  possible  that  it  was  his  misfortune  to  be 
a  slave  in  a  family  that  belonged  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  a 
sect  that  is  so  tempered  and  chastened  in  its  religious  rites, 
and  so  far  removed  from  exaggeration,  as  often  to  seem  cold 
to  those  who  seek  excitement,  and  fancy  quiet  and  self-con 
trol  incompatible  with  a  lively  faith.  'Your  priests  are 
unsuited  to  make  converts  among  the  people,'  said  an  enthu 
siastic  clergyman  of  another  denomination  to  me,  quite 
lately.  '  They  cannot  go  among  the  brambles  and  thorns 
without  tearing  their  gowns  and  surplices.'  There  may  be 
a  certain  degree  of  truth  in  this,  though  the  obstacle  exists 
rather  with  the  convert  than  with  the  missionary.  The 
vulgar  love  coarse  excitement,  and  fancy  that  a  profound 
spiritual  sensibility  must  needs  awaken  a  powerful  physical 
sympathy.  To  such,  groans,  and  sighs,  and  lamentations 
must  be  not  only  audible  to  exist  at  all,  but  audible  in  a  dra 
matic  and  striking  form  with  men,  in  order  to  be  groans,  and 
sighs,  and  lamentations  acceptable  with  God.  It  is  certain, 
at  any  rate,  that  the  practices  which  reason,  education,  a 
good  taste,  and  a  sound  comprehension  of  Christian  obliga 
tions  condemn,  are,  if  not  most  effective,  still  effective  with 
the  ignorant  and  coarse-minded.  Thus  may  it  have  been 
with  Jaaf,  who  had  not  fallen  kito  the  hands  of  the  exagge 
rated  during  that  period  of  life  when  he  was  most  likely  to. 
be  aroused  by  their  practices,  and  who  now  really  seemed 
to  have  lived  beyond  everything  but  the  recollections  con 
nected  with  the  persons  and  things  he  loved  in  youth. 

As  men,  in  the  higher  meaning  of  the  term,  the  readei 
will  remember  that  Susquesus  was  ever  vastly  the  superioi 
of  the  black.  Jaaf 's  intellect  had  suffered  under  the  blight 
which  seems  to  have  so  generally  caused  the  African  mind 
to  wither,  as  we  know  that  mind  among  ourselves ;  while 
that  of  his  associate  had  ever  possessed  much  of  the  loftiness 
of  a  grand  nature,  left  to  its  native  workings  by  the  impetus 
of  an  unrestrained,  though  savage  liberty. 

Such  were  the  characters  of  the  two  extraordinary  men 


418  THE     REDSKINS. 

whom  we  now  went  forth  to  meet.  By  the  time  we  reached 
the  lawn,  they  were  walking  slowly  towards  the  piazza, 
having  got  within  the  range  of  the  shrubbery  that  immedi 
ately  surrounds,  and  sheds  its  perfume  on  the  house.  The 
Indian  led,  as  seemed  to  become  his  character  and  rank. 
But  Jaaf  had  never  presumed  on  his  years  and  indulgenciea 
so  far  as  to  forget  his  condition.  A  slave  he  had  been 
born,  a  slave  had  he  lived,  and  a  slave  he  would  die.  This, 
too,  in  spite  of  the  law  of  emancipation,  which  had,  in  fact, 
liberated  him  long  ere  he  had  reached  his  hundredth  year. 
I  have  been  told  that  when  my  father  announced  to  Jaaf  the 
fact  that  he  and  all  his  progeny,  the  latter  of  which  was 
very  numerous,  were  free  and  at  liberty  to  go  and  do 
as  they  pleased,  the  old  black  was  greatly  dissatisfied. 
"  What  good  dat  all  do,  Masser  Malbone,"  he  growled. 
"Whey  'ey  won't  let  well  alone?  Nigger  be  nigger,  and 
white  gentle'em  be  white  gentle'em.  I  'speck,  now,  nuttin' 
but  disgrace  and  poverty  come  on  my  breed  !  We  alway 
hab  been  gentle'em's  nigger,  and  why  can't  'ey  let  us  be 
gentle'em's  nigger,  as  long  as  we  like  ?  Ole  Sus  hab  liberty 
all  he  life,  and  what  good  he  get  1  Nuttin'  but  poor  red 
sabbage,  for  all  dat,  and  never  be  any  t'ing  more.  If  he 
could  be  gentle'em's  sabbage,  I  tell  him,  dat  war'  somet'ing  ; 
but,  no,  he  too  proud  for  dat !  Gosh  !  so  he  only  he  own 
sabbage  i" 

The  Onondago  was  in  high  costume ;  much  higher  even 
than  when  he  first  received  the  visit  of  the  prairie  Indians. 
The  paint  he  used,  gave  new  fire  to  eyes  that  age  had  cer 
tainly  dimmed,  though  they  had  not  extinguished  their  light  ; 
and  fierce  and  savage  as  was  the  conceit,  it  unquestionably 
relieved  the  furrows  of  time.  That  red  should  be  as  much 
the  favourite  colour  of  the  redskin  is,  perhaps,  as  natural  as 
that  our  ladies  should  use  cosmetics  to  imitate  the  lilies  and 
roses  that  are  wanting.  A  grim  fierceness,  however,  was 
the  aim  of  the  Onondago ;  it  being  his  ambition,  at  that  mo- 
ment,  to  stand  before  his  guests  in  the  colours  of  a  warrior. 
Of  the  medals  and  wampum,  and  feathers,  and  blankets,  and 
moccasins,  gay  with  the  quills  of  the  porcupine,  tinged  half 
a  dozen  hues,  and  the  tomahawk  polished  to  the  brightness 
of  silver,  it  is  not  necessary  to  say  anything.  So  much  haa 


THE     REDSKINS.  419 

been  said,  and  written,  and  seen,  of  late,  on  such  subjects, 
that  almost  every  one  now  knows  how  the  North  American 
warrior  appears,  when  he  comes  forth  in  his  robes. 

Nor  had  Jaaf  neglected  to  do  honour  to  a  festival  that 
was  so  peculiarly  in  honour  of  his  friend.  Grumble  he 
would  and  did,  throughout  the  whole  of  that  day  ;  but  he 
was  not  the  less  mindful  of  the  credit  and  honour  of  Sus- 
quesus.  It  is  the  fashion  of  the  times  to  lament  the  disap 
pearance  of  the  red-men  from  among  us ;  but,  for  my  part, 
[  feel  much  more  disposed  to  mourn  over  the  disappearance  of 
Ihe  "  nigger."  I  use  the  Doric,  in  place  of  the  more  moder.i 
and  mincing  term  of  '  coloured  man  ;'  for  the  Doric  alone 
will  convey  to  the  American  the  meaning  in  which  I  wish 
to  be  understood.  I  regret  the  "  nigger  ;"  the  old-fashioned, 
careless,  light-hearted,  laborious,  idle,  roguish,  honest,  faith 
ful,  fraudulent,  grumbling,  dogmatical  slave ;  who  was  at 
times  good  for  nothing,  and,  again,  the  stay  and  support  of 
many  a  family.  But,  him  I  regret  in  particular  is  the  domestic 
slave,  who  identified  himself  with  the  interests,  and  most  of 
all  with  the  credit  of  those  he  served,  and  who  always  played 
the  part  of  an  humble  privy  counsellor,  and  sometimes  that 
of  a  prime  minister.  It  is  true,  I  had  never  seen  Jaaf  act 
ing  in  the  latter  capacity,  among  us ;  nor  is  it  probable  he 
ever  did  exactly  discharge  such  functions  with  any  of  his 
old  masters;  but,  he  was  a  much  indulged  servant  always 
and  had  become  so  completely  associated  with  us,  by  not  only 
long  services,  but  by  playing  his  part  well  and  manfully  in 
divers  of  the  wild  adventures  that  are  apt  to  characterize 
the  settlement  of  a  new  country,  that  we  all  of  us  thought  of 
him  rather  as  an  humble  and  distant  relative,  than  as  a  slave. 
Slave,  indeed,  he  had  not  been  for  more  than  four-score 
years,  his  manumission-papers  having  been  signed  and 
regularly  recorded  as  far  back  as  that,  though  they  re 
mained  a  perfect  dead  letter,  so  far  as  the  negro  himself 
was  concerned. 

The  costume  of  Yop  Littlepage,  as  this  black  was  fami- 
.  arly  called  by  all  who  knew  anything  of  his  existence, 
and  his  great  age,  as  well  as  that  of  Susquesus,  had  got 
into  more  than  one  newspaper,  was  of  what  might  be  termed 
the  old  school  of  the  {  nigger  !'  The  coat  was  scarlet,  with 
buttons  of  mother-of-pearl,  each  as  large  as  a  half-dollar; 


1130  THE     REDSKINS. 

his  br^ches  were  sky  blue  ;  the  vest  was  green  ;  the  stock* 
ings  striped  blue  and  white,  and  the  legs  had  no  other  pecu 
liarities  about  them,  than  the  facts  that  all  that  remained  of 
the  calves  were  on  the  shins,  and  that  they  were  stepped 
nearer  than  is  quite  common  to  the  centre  of  the  foot ;  the 
heel-part  of  the  latter,  being  about  half  as  long  as  the  part 
connected  with  the  toes.  The  shoes,  indeed,  were  some 
what  conspicuous  portions  of  the  dress,  having  a  length,  and 
breadth,  and  proportions  that  might  almost  justify  a  natural 
ist  in  supposing  that  they  were  never  intended  for  a  human 
being.  But,  the  head  and  hat,  according  to  Jaaf 's  own  no 
tion,  contained  the  real  glories  of  his  toilette  and  person. 
As  for  the  last,  it  was  actually  laced,  having  formed  a  part 
of  my  grandfather,  Gen.  Cornelius  Littlepage's  uniform  in 
the  field,  and  the  wool  beneath  it  was  as  white  as  the  snow 
of  the  hills.  This  style  of  dress  has  long  disappeared  from 
among  the  black  race,  as  well  as  from  among  the  whites ; 
but  vestiges  of  it  were  to  be  traced,  my  uncle  tells  me,  in 
his  boyhood;  particularly  at  the  pinkster  holidays,  that  pecu 
liar  festival  of  the  negro.  Notwithstanding  the  incongruities 
of  his  attire,  Yop  Littlepage  made  a  very  respectable  figure 
on  this  occasion,  the  great  age  of  both  him  and  the  Onon- 
dago  being  the  circumstances  that  accarded  least  with 
their  magnificence. 

Notwithstanding  the  habitual  grumbling  of  the  negro,  the 
Indian  always  led  when  they  made  a  movement.  He 
had  led  in  the  forest,  on  the  early  hunts  and  on  the  war 
paths;  he  had  led  in  their  later  excursions  on  the  neigh 
bouring  hills ;  he  always  led  when  it  was  their  wont  to 
Stroll  to  the  hamlet  together,  to  witness  the  militia  musters 
and  other  similar  striking  events ;  he  even  was  foremost 
when  they  paid  their  daily  visits  to  the  Nest ;  and,  now,  he 
came  a  little  in  advance,  slow  in  movement,  quiet,  with  lips 
compressed,  eye  roving  and  watchful,  and  far  from  dim,  and 
his  whole  features  wonderfully  composed  and  noble,  consi 
dering  the  great  number  of  years  he  had  seen.  Jaaf  fol 
lowed  at  the  same  gait,  but  a  very  different  man  in  de 
meanour  and  aspect.  His  face  scarce  seemed  human,  even 
the  colour  of  his  skin,  once  so  glistening  and  black,  having 
changed  to  a  dirty  grey,  all  its  gloss  having  disappeared 
while  his  lips  were,  perhaps,  the  most  prominent  feature 


THE     REDSKINS.  421 

l^hese,  too,  were  in  incessant  motion,  the  old  man  working 
his  jaws,  in  a  sort  of  second  childhood  ;  or  as  the  infant 
biles  its  gurns  to  feel  its  nearly  developed  teeth,  even  when 
he  was  not  keeping  up  the  almost  unceasing  accompani 
ment  of  his  grumbles. 

As  the  old  men  walked  towards  us,  and  the  men  of  the 
prairies  had  not  yet  shown  themselves,  we  all  advanced  to 
meet  the  former.  Every  one  of  our  party,  the  girls  included, 
shook  hands  with  Susquesus,  and  wished  him  a  good  morn 
ing.  He  knew  my  grandmother,  and  betrayed  some  strong 
feeling,  when  he  shook  her  hand.  He  knew  Patt,  and 
nodded  kindly  in  answer  to  her  good  wishes.  He  knew 
Mary  Warren,  too,  and  held  her  hand  a  little  time  in  his 
own,  gazing  at  her  wistfully  the  while.  My  uncle  Ro  and 
I  were  also  recognised,  his  look  at  me  being  earnest  and 
long.  The  two  other  girls  were  courteously  received,  but 
his  feelings  were  little  interested  in  them.  A  chair  was 
placed  for  Susquesus  on  the  lawn,  and  he  took  his  seat. 
As  for  Jaaf,  he  walked  slowly  up  to  the  party,  took  off  his 
fine  cocked-hat,  but  respectfully  refused  the  seat  he  too  was 
offered.  Happening  thus  to  be  the  last  saluted,  he  was  the 
first  with  whom  my  grandmother  opened  the  discourse. 

"  It  is  a  pleasant  sight,  Jaaf,  to  see  you,  and  our  old 
friend  Susquesus,  once  more  on  the  lawn  of  the  old  house." 

"  Not  so  berry  ole  house,  Miss  Duss,  a'ter  all,"  answered 
the  negro,  in  his  grumbling  way.  "  Remem'er  him  well 
'nough  ;  only  built  tudder  day." 

"  It  has  been  built  three-score  years,  if  you  call  that  the 
other  day.  I  was  then  young  myself;  a  bride — happy  and 
blessed  far  beyond  my  deserts.  Alas  !  how  changed  have 
things  become  since  that  time !" 

"  Yes,  you  won'erful  changed  —  must  say  dat  for  you, 
Miss  Duss.  I  some  time  surprise  myself  so  young  a  lady 
get  change  so  berry  soon." 

"  Ah !  Jaaf,  though  it  may  seem  a  short  time  to  you, 
who  are  so  much  my  senior,  four-score  years  are  a  heavy 
load  to  carry.  I  enjoy  excellent  health  and  spirits  for  my 
years  ;  but  age  will  assert  its  power." 

"  Remem'er  you,  Miss  Duss,  like  dat  young  lady  dere,'* 
pointing  at  Patt  — "  now  you  do  seem  won'erful  change. 
Ole  Sus,  too,  berry  much  alter  of  late — can't  hole  out  much 
36 


422  THE     REDSKINS. 

longer,  I  do  t'ink.     But  Injin  nebber  hab  much  raal  gril 
in  'em." 

"  And  you,  my  friend,"  continued  my  grandmother, 
turning  to  Susquesus,  who  had  sat  motionless  while  she 
was  speaking  to  Jaaf — "  do  you  also  see  this  great  change 
in  me  ?  I  have  known  you  much  longer  than  I  have  known 
Jaaf;  and  your  recollection  of  me  must  go  back  nearly  to 
childhood — to  the  time  when  I  first  lived  in  the  woods,  as  a 
companion  of  my  dear,  excellent  old  uncle,  Chainbearer." 

"Why  should  Susquesus  forget  little  wren?  Hear  song 
now  in  his  ear.  No  change  at  all  in  little  wren,  in  Susque 
sus'  eye." 

"  This  is  at  least  gallant,  and  worthy  of  an  Onondago 
chief.  But,  my  worthy  friend,  age  will  make  its  mark  even 
on  the  trees ;  and  we  cannot  hope  to  escape  it  for  ever  !" 

"No;  bark  smooth  on  young  tree — rough  on  ole  tree. 
Nebber  forget  Chainbearer.  He  's  same  age  as  Susquesus 
— little  ole'er,  too.  Brave  warrior — good  man.  Know  him 
when  young  hunter — he  dere  when  dat  happen." 

"  When  what  happened,  Susquesus  ?  I  have  long  wished 
to  know  what  drove  you  from  your  people;  and  why  you, 
a  red-man  in  your  heart  and  habits,  to  the  last,  should  have 
so  long  lived  among  us  pale-faces,  away  from  your  own 
tribe.  I  can  understand  why  you  like  us,  and  wish  to  pass 
the  remainder  of  your  days  with  this  family ;  for  I  know 
all  that  we  have  gone  through  together,  and  your  early  con 
nection  with  my  father-in-law,  and  his  father-in-law,  too ; 
but  the  reason  why  you  left  your  own  people  so  young,  and 
have  now  lived  near  a  hundred  years  away  from  them,  is 
what  I  could  wish  to  hear,  before  the  angel  of  death  sum 
mons  one  of  us  away." 

While  my  grandmother  was  thus  coming  to  the  point,  for 
the  first  time  in  her  life,  on  this  subject,  as  she  afterwards 
told  me,  the  Onondago's  eye  was  never  off  her  own.  I 
thought  he  seemed  surprised  ;  then  his  look  changed  to  sad 
ness  ;  and  bowing  his  head  a  little,  he  sat  a  long  time,  ap 
parently  musing  on  the  past.  The  subject  had  evidently 
aroused  the  strongest  of  the  remaining  feelings  of  the  old 
man,  and  the  allusion  to  it  had  brought  back  images  of 
things  long  gone  by,  that  were  probably  reviewed  not  alto 
gether  without  pain.  I  think  his  head  must  have  been 


THE     REDSKINS.  423 

bowed,  and  his  face  riveted  on  the  ground,  for  quite  a 
minute. 

"  Chainbearer  nebber  say  why  ?"  the  old  man  suddenly 
asked,  raising  his  face  again  to  look  at  my  grandmother. 
"  Ole  chief,  too— he  know  ;  nebber  talk  of  it,  eh  ?" 

"  Never.  I  have  heard  both  my  uncle  and  my  father-in- 
law  say  that  they  knew  the  reason  why  you  left  your 
people,  so  many  long,  long,  years  ago,  and  that  it  did  you 
credit ;  but  neither  ever  said  more.  It  is  reported  here,  that 
these  red-men,  who  have  come  so  far  to  see  you,  also  know 
it,  and  that  it  is  one  reason  of  their  corning  so  much  out  of 
their  way  to  pay  you  a  visit." 

Susquesus  listened  attentively,  though  no  portion  of  his 
person  manifested  emotion  but  his  eyes.  All  the  rest  of  the 
man  seemed  to  be  made  of  some  material  that  was  totally 
without  sensibility;  but  those  restless,  keen,  still  penetrating 
eyes  opened  a  communication  with  the  being  within,  and 
proved  that  the  spirit  was  far  younger  than  the  tenement  in 
which  it  dwelt.  Still,  he  made  no  revelation  ;  and  our  curi 
osity,  which  was  getting  to  be  intense,  was  completely 
baffled.  It  was  even  some  little  time  before  the  Indian  said 
anything  more  at  all.  When  he  did  speak,  it  was  merely 
to  say — 

"  Good.  Chainbearer  wise  chief —  Gin'ral  wise,  too. 
Good  in  camp — good  at  council-fire.  Know  when  to  talk — 
know  what  to  talk." 

How  much  further  my  dear  grandmother  might  have 
been  disposed  to  -push  the  subject,  I  cannot  say,  for  just 
thqp,  we  saw  the  redskins  coming  out  of  their  quarters,  evi 
dently  about  to  cross  from  the  old  farm  to  the  lawn,  this 
being  their  last  visit  to  the  Trackless,  preparatory  to  depart 
ing  on  their  long  journey  to  the  prairies.  Aware  of  all  this, 
she  fell  back,  and  my  uncle  led  Susquesus  to  the  tree, 
where  the  benches  were  placed  for  the  guests,  I  carrying 
the  chair  in  the  rear.  Everybody  followed,  even  to  all  the 
domestics  who  could  be  spared  from  the  ordinary  occupa 
tions  of  the  household. 

The  Indian  and  the  negro  were  both  seated ;  and  chairs 
having  been  brought  out  for  the  members  of  the  family,  we 
took  o  ir  places  near  by,  though  so  much  in  the  back-ground 
as  not  to  appear  obtrusive. 


424  THE     REDSKINS. 

The  Indians  of  the  prairies  arrived  in  their  customary 
marching  order,  or  in  single  files.  Manytongues  led,  fol 
lowed  by  Prairiefire;  Flintyheart  and  Eaglesflight  came 
next,  and  the  rest  succeeded  in  a  nameless  but  perfect  order. 
To  our  surprise,  however,  they  brought  the  two  prisoners 
with  them,  secured  with  savage  ingenuity,  and  in  a  way  to 
render  escape  nearly  impossible. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the  deportment  of  these 
strangers,  as  they  took  their  allotted  places  on  the  benches, 
it  being  essentially  the  same  as  that  described  in  their  first 
visit.  The  same  interest,  however,  was  betrayed  in  their 
manner,  nor  did  their  curiosity  or  veneration  appear  to  be 
in  the  least  appeased,  by  having  passed  a  day,  or  two,  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  their  subject.  That  this  curiosity 
and  veneration  proceeded,  in  some  measure,  from  the  great 
age  and  extended  experience  of  the  Trackless  was  probable 
enough,  but  I  could  not  divest  myself  of  the  idea  that  there 
lay  something  unusual  behind  all,  which  tradition  had  made 
familiar  to  these  sons  of  the  soil,  but  which  had  become  lost 
to  us. 

The  American  savage  enjoys  one  great  advantage  ovei 
the  civilized  man  of  the  same  quarter  of  the  world.  His 
raditions  ordinarily  are  true,  whereas,  the  multiplied  means 
of  imparting  intelligence  among  ourselves,  has  induced  so 
many  pretenders  to  throw  themselves  into  the  ranks  of  the 
wise  and  learned,  that  blessed,  thrice  blessed  is  he,  whose 
mind  escapes  the  contamination  of  falsehood  and  prejudice. 
Well  would  it  be  for  men,  if  they  oftener  remembered  that 
the  very  facilities  that  exist  to  circulate  the  truth,  are  ^ust 
so  many  facilities  for  circulating  falsehood  ;  and  that  he  who 
believes  even  one-half  of  that  which  meets  his  eyes,  in  his 
daily  inquiries  into  passing  events,  is  most  apt  to  throw  away 
quite  a  moiety  of  .even  that  much  credulity,  on  facts  that 
either  never  had  an  existence  at  all,  or,  which  have  been  so 
mutilated  in  the  relation,  that  their  eye-witnesses  would  be 
the  last  to  recognise  them. 

The  customary  silence  succeeded  the  arrival  of  the  visi- 
ters ;  then  Eaglesflight  struck  fire  with  a  flint,  touched  the 
tobacco  with  the  flame,  and  puffed  at  a  very  curiously  carved 
pipe,  made  of  some  soft  stone  of  the  interior,  until  he  had 
lighted  it  beyond  any  risk  of  its  soon  becoming  extinguished 


THE     REDSKINS.  425 

This  done,  he  rose,  advanced  with  profound  reverence  in 
his  air,  and  presented  it  to  Susquesus,  who  took  it  and 
smoked  for  a  few  seconds,  after  which  he  returned  it  to  him 
from  whom  it  had  been  received.  This  was  a  signal  for 
other  pipes  to  be  lighted,  and  one  was  offered  to  my  uncle 
and  .myself,  each  of  us  making  a  puff  or  two ;  and  even 
John  and  the  other  male  domestics  were  not  neglected. 
Prairiefire,  himself,  paid  the  compliment  to  Jaaf.  The  negro 
had  noted  what  was  passing,  and  was  much  disgusted  with 
the  niggardliless  which  required  the  pipe  to  be  so  soon  re 
turned.  This  he  did  not  care  to  conceal,  as  was  obvious 
by  the  crusty  observation  he  made  when  the  pipe  was  offered 
to  him.  Cider  and  tobacco  had,  from  time  immemorial,  been 
the  two  great  blessings  of  this  black's  existence,  and  he  felt, 
at  seeing  one  standing  ready  to  receive  his  pipe,  after  a  puff 
or  two,  much  as  he  might  have  felt  had  one  pulled  the  mug 
from  his  mouth,  after  the  second  or  third  swallow. 

"  No  need  wait  here" — grumbled  old  Jaaf — "  when  I 
done,  gib  you  de  pipe,  ag'in  ;  nebber  fear.  Masser  Corny, 
or  Masser  Mai  bone,  or  Masser  Hugh — dear  me,  I  nebber 
knows  which  be  libbin'  and  which  be  dead,  I  get  so  ole,  now- 
a-day  !  But  nebber  mind  if  he  be  ole ;  can  smoke  yet,  and 
don't  lub  Injin  fashion  of  gibbin'  t'ings ;  and  dat  is  gib  him 
and  den  take  away,  ag'in.  Nigger  is  nigger,  "tnd  Injin  is 
Injin ;  and  nigger  best.  Lord  !  how  many  years  I  do  see — 
I  do  see — most  get  tire  of  libbin'  so  long.  Don't  wait,  Injin  ; 
when  I  done,  you  get  pipe  again,  I  say.  Best  not  make  ole 
Jaaf  too  mad,  or  he  dreadful !" 

Although  it  is  probable  that  Prairiefire  did  not  understand 
one-half  of  the  negro's  words,  he  comprehended  his  wish 
to  finish  the  tobacco,  before  he  relinquished  the  pipe.  This 
was  against  all  rule,  and  a  species  of  slight  on  Indian 
usages,  but  the  red-man  overlooked  all,  with  the  courtesy 
of  one  trained  in  high  society,  and  walked  away  as  com 
posedly  as  if  everything  were  right.  In  these  particulars 
tvne  high-breeding  of  an  Indian  is  always  made  apparent. 
No  one  ever  sees  in  his  deportment,  a  shrug,  or  a  half-con 
cealed  smile,  or  a  look  of  intelligence;  a  wink  or  a  nod,  or 
any  other  of  that  class  of  signs,  or  communications,  which 
it  is  usually  deemed  underbred  to  resort  to  in  company.  In 
•  36* 


426  THE     REDSKINS. 

all  things,  he  is  dignified  and  quiet,  whether  it  be  the  effec4 
of  coldness,  or  the  result  of  character. 

The  smoking  now  became  general,  but  only  as  a  cere- 
mony;  no  one  but  Jaaf  setting  to  with  regularity  to  finish 
his  pipe.  As  for  the  black,  his  opinion  of  the  superiority  of 
his  own  race  over  that  of  the  red-man,  was  as  fixed  as  his 
consciousness  of  its  inferiority  to  the  white,  and  he  would 
have  thought  the  circumstance  that  the  present  mode  of 
using  tobacco  was  an  Indian  custom,  a  sufficient  reason 
why  he  himself  should  not  adopt  it.  The  smoking  did  not 
last  long,  but  was  succeeded  by  a  silent  pause.  Then 
Prairiefire  arose  and  spoke. 

"  Father,"  he  commenced,  "  we  are  about  to  quit  you. 
Our  squaws  and  pappooses,  on  the  prairies,  wish  to  see  us  ; 
it  is  time  for  us  to  go.  They  are  looking  towards  the  great 
salt  lake  for  us  ;  we  are  looking  towards  the  great  fresh 
water  lakes  for  them.  There  the  sun  sets  —  here  it  rises  ; 
the  distance  is  great,  and  many  strange  tribes  of  pale-faces 
live  along  the  path.  Our  journey  has  been  one  of  peace. 
We  have  not  hunted;  we  have  taken  no  scalps;  but  we 
have  seen  our  Great  Father,  Uncle  Sam,  and  we  have  seen 
our  Great  Father,  Susquesus ;  we  shall  travel  towards  the 
setting-  sun  satisfied.  —  Father,  our  traditions  are  true;  they 
never  lie.^A  lying  tradition  is  worse  than  a  lying  Indian. 
What  a.  lying  Indian  says,  deceives  his  friends,  his°wife,  his 
children  ;  what  a  lying  tradition  says,  deceives  a  tribe.  Our 
traditions  are  true ;  they  speak  of  the  Upright  Onondago. 
All  the  tribes  on  the  prairies  have  heard  this  tradition,  and 
are  very  glad.  It  is  good  to  hear  of  justice;  it  is  bad  to 
hear  of  injustice.  Without  justice  an  Indian  is  no  better 
than  a  wolf.  No;  there  is  not  a  tongue  spoken  on  the 
prairies  which  does  not  tell  of  that  pleasant  tradition.  We 
could  not  pass  the  wigwam  of  our  father  without  turning 
aside  to  look  at  him.  Our  squaws  and  pappooses  wish  to 
see  us,  but  they  would  have  told  us  to  come  back,  and  turn 

aside  to  look  upon  our  father,  had  we  forgotten  to  do  so. 

Why  has  my  father  seen  so  many  winters  ?  It  is  the  wil! 
of  the  Manitou.  The  Great  Spirit  wants  to  keep  him  here 
a  little  longer.  He  is  like  stones  piled  together  to  tell  the 
hunters  where  the  pleasant  path  is  to  be  found.  All  the  red 


THE     REDSKINS.  427 

tne&  who  see  him  think  of  what  is  right.  No;  the  Great 
Spirit  cannot  yet  spare  my  father  from  the  earth,  lest  red- 
men  forget  what  is  right.  He  is  stones  piled  together." 

Here  Prairiefire  ceased,  sitting  down  amidst  a  low  murmur 
of  applause.  He  had  expressed  the  common  feejing,  and 
met  with  the  success  usual  to  such  efforts.  Susquesus  had 
heard  and  understood  all  that  was  said,  and  I  could  perceive 
that  he  felt  it,  though  he  betrayed  less  emotion  on  this  occa 
sion  than  he  had  done  on  the  occasion  of  the  previous  inter 
view.  Then,  the  novelty  of  the  scene,  no  doubt,  contributed 
to  influence  his  feelings.  A  pause  followed  this  opening 
speech,  and  we  were  anxiously  waiting  for  the  renowned 
orator,  Eaglesflight,  to  rise,  when  a  singular  and  somewhat 
ludicrous  interruption  of  the  solemn  dignity  of  the  scene  oc 
curred.  In  the  place  of  Eaglesflight,  whom  Manytongues 
had  given  us  reason  to  expect  would  now  come  forth  with 
energy  and  power,  a  much  younger  warrior  arose  and  spoke, 
commanding  the  attention  of  his  listeners  in  a  way  to  show 
that  he  possessed  their  respect.  We  were  told  that  thi^ 
young  warrior's  name,  rendered  into  English,  was  Deers- 
foot,  an  appellation  obtained  on  account  of  his  speed,  and 
which  we  were  assured  he  well  merited.  Much  to  our  sur 
prise,  however,  he  addressed  himself  to  Jaaf,  Indian  courtesy 
requiring  that  something  should  be  said  to  the  constant  friend 
and  tried  associate  of  the  Trackless.  The  reader  may  be 
certain  we  were  all  much  amused  at  this  bit  of  homage, 
though  every  one  of  us  felt  some  little  concern  on  the  sub 
ject  of  the  answer  it  might  elicit.  Deersfoot  delivered  him 
self,  substantially,  as  follows:  — 

"  The  Great  Spirit  sees  all  things ;  he  makes  all  things. 
In  his  eyes,  colour  is  nothing1.  Although  he  made  children 
that  he  loved  of  a  red  colour,  he  made  children  that  he  loved 
with  pale-faces,  too.  He  did  not  stop  there.  No;  he  said, 
*  I  wish  to  see  warriors  and  men  with  faces  darker  than  the 
skin  of  the  bear.  I  will  have  warriors  who  shall  frighten 
their  enemies  by  their  countenances.'  He  made  black  men. 
My  father  is  black ;  his  skin  is  neither  red,  like  the  skin  of 
Susquesus,  nor  while,  like  the  skin  of  the  young  chief  of 
Ravensnest.  It  is  now  grey,  with  having  had  the  sun  shine 
on  it  so  many  summers ;  but  it  was  once  the  colour  of  the 
crow.  Then  it  must  have  been  pleasant  to  look  at. — My 


428  THE     REDSKINS. 

black  father  is  very  old.  They  tell  me  he  is  even  older  than 
the  Upright  Onondago.  The  Manitou  must  be  well  pleased 
with  him,  not  to  have  called  him  away  sooner.  He  has  left 
him  in  his  wigwam,  that  all  the  black  men  may  see  whom 
their  Gteat  Spirit  loves. — This  is  the  tradition  told  to  us  by 
our  fathers.  The  pale  men  come  from  the  rising  sun,  and 
were  born  before  the  heat  burned  their  skins.  The  black 
men  came  from  under  the  sun  at  noon-day,  and  their  faces 
were  darkened  by  looking  up  above  their  heads  to  admire 
the  warmth  that  ripened  their  fruits.  The  red  men  were 
born  under  the  setting  sun,  and  their  faces  were  coloured 
by  the  hues  of  the  evening  skies.  The  red  man  was  born 
here ;  the  pale  man  was  born  across  the  salt  lake  ;  the  black 
man  came  from  a  country  of  his  own,  where  the  sun  is  al 
ways  above  his  head.  What  of  that?  We  are  brothers. 
The  Thicklips  (this  was  the  name  by  which  the  strangers 
designated  Jaaf,  as  we  afterwards  learned)  is  the  friend  of 
Susquesus.  They  have  lived  in  the  same  wigwam,  now, 
so  many  winters,  that  their  venison  and  bear's-meat  have 
the  same  taste.  They  love  one  another.  Whomsoever  Sus 
quesus  loves  and  honours,  all  just  Indians  love  and  honour, 
I  have  no  more  to  say." 

It  is  very  certain  that  Jaaf  would  not  have  understood  a 
syllable  that  was  uttered,  in  this  address,  had  not  Many- 
tongues  first  given  him  to  understand  that  Deersfoot  was 
talking  to  him  in  particular,  and  then  translated  the  speak 
er's  language,  word  for  word,  and  with  great  deliberation, 
as  each  sentence  was  finished.  Even  this  care  might  not 
have  sufficed  to  make  the  negro  sensible  of  what  was  going 
on,  had  not  Patt  gone  to  him,  and  told  him  in  a  manner  and 
voice  to  which  he  was  accustomed,  to  attend  to  what  was 
said,  and  to  endeavour,  as  soon  as  Deersfoot  sat  down,  to 
say  something  in  reply.  Jaaf  was  so  accustomed  to  my 
sister,  and  was  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  necessity  of 
obeying  her,  as  one  of  his  many  *  y'ung  missuses,' — which 
he  scarcely  knew  himself, — that  she  succeeded  in  perfectly 
arousing  him  ;  and  he  astonished  us  all  with  the  intelligence 
of  his  very  characteristic  answer,  which  he  did  not  fail  to 
deliver  exactly  as  he  had  been  directed  to  do.  Previously 
to  beginning  to  speak,  the  negro  champed  his  toothless 
gums  together,  like  a  vexed  swine ;  but '  y'ung  missus'  had 


THE     REDSKINS.  429 

told  him  he  must  answer,  and  answer  he  did.  It  is  proba 
ble,  also,  that  the  old  fellow  had  some  sort  of  recollection 
of  such  scenes,  having  been  present,  in  his  younger  days, 
at  various  councils  held  by  the  different  tribes  of  New  York; 
among  whom  my  grandfather,  Gen.  Mordaunt  Littlepage, 
had  more  than  once  been  a  commissioner. 

"  Well,"  Jaaf  began,  in  a  short,  snappish  manner,  "  s'pose 
nigger  must  say  somet'in'.  No  berry  great  talker,  'cause  I 
no  Injin.  Nigger  hab  too  much  work  to  do,  to  talk  all  'e 
time.  What  you  say  'bout  where  nigger  come  from,  isn't 
true.  He  come  from  Africa,  as  I  hear  'em  say,  'long  time 
ago.  Ahs,  me  !  how  ole  I  do  get !  Sometime  I  t'ink  poor 
ole  black  man  be  nebber  to  lie  down  and  rest  himself.  It 
do  seem  dat  ebberybody  take  his  rest  but  old  Sus  and  me. 
I  berry  strong,  yet ;  and  git  stronger  and  stronger,  dough 
won'erful  tired  ;  but  Sus,  he  git  weaker  and  weaker  ebbery 
day.  Can't  last  long,  now,  poor  Sus  !  Ebberybody  must 
die,  sometime.  Ole,  ole,  ole  Masser  and  Missus,  fust  dey 
die.  Den  Masser  Corny  go;  putty  well  adwanced,  too. 
Den  come  Masser  Mordaunt's  turn,  and  Masser  Malbone, 
and  now  dere  anudder  Masser  Hugh.  Well,  dey  putty 
much  all  de  sames  to  me.  I  lubs  'em  all,  and  all  on  'em 
lubs  me.  Den  Miss  Duss  count  for  somet'in',  but  she  be 
libbin',  yet.  Most  time  she  die,  too,  but  don't  seem  to  go. 
Ahs,  me  ! «  how  ole  I  do  git !  Ha !  dere  comes  dem  debbils 
of  Injins,  ag'in,  and  dis  time  we  must  clean  'em  out !  Get 
your  rifle,  Sus ;  get  your  rifle,  boy,  and  mind  dat  ole  Jaaf 
be  at  your  elbow." 

Sure  enough,  there  the  Injins  did  come ;  but  I  must  re 
serve  an  account  of  what  followed  for  the  commence*nen 
of  the  next  Chapter. 


430  THE     REDSKINS 


CHAPTEE  XXVIII. 

"Hope — that  thy  wrongs  will  be  by  the  Great  Spirit 
Remember'd  and  revenged  when  thou  art  gone ; 
Sorrow — that  none  are  left  thee  to  inherit 
Thy  name,  thy  fame,  thy  passions,  and  thy  throne." 

Red  Jacket. 

IT  was  a  little  remarkable  that  one  as  old  and  blear-eyed 
as  the  negro,  should  be  the  first  among  us  to  discover  the 
approach  of  a  large  body  of  the  Injins,  who  could  not  be 
less  than  two  hundred  in  number.  The  circumstance  was 
probably  owing  to  the  fact  that,  while  every  other  eye  was 
riveted  on  the  speaker,  his  eyes  were  fastened  on  nothing. 
There  the  Injins  did  come,  however,  in  force  ;  and  this  time, 
apparently,  without  fear.  The  white  American  meets  the 
red-man  with  much  confidence,  when  he  is  prepared  for  the 
struggle ;  and  the  result  has  shown  that,  when  thrown  upon 
his  resources,  in  the  wilderness,  and  after  he  has  been  al 
lowed  time  to  gain  a  little  experience,  he  is  usually  the  most 
formidable  enemy.  But  a  dozen  Indians,  of  the  stamp  of 
those  who  had  here  come  to  visit  us,  armed  and  painted,  and 
placed  in  the  centre  of  one  of  our  largest  peopled  Bounties, 
would  be  sufficient  to  throw  that  county  into  a  paroxysm  of 
fear.  Until  time  were  given  for  thought,  and  the  opinions 
of  the  judicious  superseded  the  effects  of  rumour,  nothing 
but  panic  would  prevail.  Mothers  would  clasp  their  chil 
dren  to  their  bosoms,  fathers  would  hold  back  their  sons 
from  the  slaughter,  and  even  the  heroes  of  the  militia  would 
momentarily  forget  their  ardour  in  the  suggestions  of  pru 
dence  and  forethought. 

Such,  in  fact,  had  been  the  state  of  things  in  and  about 
Ravensnest,  when  Flintyheart  so  unexpectedly  led  his  com 
panions  into  the  forest,  and  dispersed  the  virtuous  and  op 
pressed  tenants  of  my'  estate  on  their  return  from  a  meeting 
held  with  but  one  virtuous  object ;  viz.,  that  of  transferring 
the  fee  of  the  farms  they  occupied,  from  me  to  themselves. 
No  one  doubted,  at  the  moment,  that  in  addition  to  the  other 
enormities  committed  by  me  and  mine,  I  had  obtained  a 


THE     REDSKINS.  431 

body  of  savages  from  the  far  West,  to  meet  the  forces  al 
ready  levied  by  the  tenants,  on  a  principle  that  it  would  not 
do  to  examine  very  clearly.  If  I  had  done  so,  I  am  far  from 
certain  that  I  should  not  have  been  perfectly  justified  in 
morals;  for  an  evil  of  that  nature,  that  might  at  any  time 
be  put  down  in  a  month,  and  which  is  suffered  to  exist 
for  years,  through  the  selfish  indifference  of  the  community, 
restores  to  every  man  his  natural  rights  of  self-defence  ; 
though  I  make  no  doubt,  had  I  resorted  to  such  means,  I 
should  have  been  hanged,  without  benefit  of  philanthropists  ; 
the  '  clergy'  in  this  country  not  being  included  in  the  class, 
so  far  as  suspension  by  the  neck  is  concerned. 

But  the  panic  had  disappeared,  as  soon  as  the  truth  be 
came  known  concerning  the  true  object  of  the  visit  of  the 
redskins.  The  courage  of  the  "  virtuous  and  honest"  re 
vived,  and  one  of  the  first  exhibitions  of  this  renewed  spirit  was 
the  attempt  to  set  fire  to  my  house  and  barns.  So  serious  a 
demonstration,  it  was  thought,  would  convince  me  of  the  real 
power  of  the  people,  and  satisfy  us  all  that  their  wishes  are 
not  to  be  resisted  with  impunity.  As  no  one  likes  to  have 
his  house  and  barns  burned,  it  must  be  a  singular  being 
who  could  withstand  the  influence  of  such  a  manifestation 
of  the  "  spirit  of  the  Institutions  ;"  for  it  is  just  as  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  the  attempts  of  the  incendiaries  came  within 
their  political  category,  as  it  is  to  suppose  that  the  attempt 
of  the  tenants  to  get  a  title  beyond  what  was  bestowed  in 
their  leases,  was  owing  to  this  cause. 

That  habit  of  deferring  to  externals,  which  is  so  genera] 
in  a  certain  class  of  our  citizens,  and  which  endures  in  mat 
ters  of  religion  long  after  the  vital  principle  is  forgotten, 
prevented  any  serious  outbreak  on  the  next  day,  which  was 
the  Sunday  mentioned ;  though  the  occasion  was  improved 
to  coerce  by  intimidation,  the  meeting  and  resolutions 
having  been  regularly  digested  in  secret  conclave,  among 
the  local  leaders  of  anti-rentism,  and  carried  out,  as  has 
been -described.  Then  followed  the  destruction  of  the  cano 
py,  another  demonstration  of  the  "  spirit  of  the  Institutions," 
and  as  good  an  argument  as  any  that  has  yet  been  offered, 
in  favour  of  the  dogmas  of  the  new  political  faith.  Public 
opinion  is  entitled  to  some  relief,  surely,  when  it  betrays  so 
much  excitement  as  to  desecrate  churches  and  to  destroy 


432  THE    REDSKINS. 

private  property.  This  circumstance  of  the  canopy  had 
been  much  dwelt  on,  as  a  favourite  anti-rent  argument,  and 
it  might  now  be  considered  that  the  subject  was  carried  out 
to  demonstration. 

By  the  time  all  this  was  effected,  so  completely  had  the 
"  Injins"  got  over  their  dread  of  the  Indians,  that  it  was  with 
difficulty  the  leaders  of  the  former  could  prevent  the  most 
heroic  portion  of  their  corps  from  following  their  blow  at 
the  canopy  by  a  coup  de  main  against  the  old  farm-house, 
and  its  occupants.  Had  not  the  discretion  of  the  leaders 
been  greater  than  that  of  their  subordinates,  it  is  very  pro 
bable  blood  would  have  been  shed,  between  these  quasi  bel 
ligerents.  But  the  warriors  of  the  Prairies  were  the  guests 
of  Uncle  Sam,  and  the  old  gentleman,  after  all,  has  a  long 
arm,  and  can  extend  it  from  Washington  to  Ravensnest 
without  much  effort.  He  was  not  to  be  offended  heedlessly, 
therefore ;  for  his  power  was  especially  to  be  dreaded  in 
this  matter  of  the  covenants,  without  which  Injins  and  agi 
tation  would  be  altogether  unnecessary  to  attaining  the  great 
object,  the  Albany  politicians  being  so  well  disposed  to  do 
all  they  can  for  the  "  virtuous  and  honest."  Uncle  Sam's 
Indians,  consequently,  were  held  a  good  deal  more  in  respect 
than  the  laws  of  the  State,  and  they  consequently  escaped 
being  murdered  in  their  sleep. 

When  Jaaf  first  drew  our  attention  to  the  Injins,  they 
were  advancing,  in  a  long  line,  by  the  highway,  and  at  a 
moderate  pace ;  leaving  us  time  to  shift  our  own  position, 
did  we  deem  it  necessary.  My  uncle  was  of  opinion  it 
would  never  do  to  remain  out  on  the  lawn,  exposed  to  so 
great  a  superiority  of  force,  and  he  took  his  measures  ac 
cordingly.  In  the  first  place,  the  females,  mistresses  and 
maids— and  there  were  eight  or  ten  of  the  last — were  re 
quested  to  retire,  at  once,  to  the  house.  The  latter,  with 
John  at  their  head,  were  directed  to  close  all  the  lower,  out 
side  shutters  of  the  building,  and  secure  them  within.  This 
done,  and  the  gate  and  two  outer  doors  fastened,  it  would 
not  be  altogether  without  hazard  to  make  an  assault  on  our 
fortress.  As  no  one  required  a  second  request  to  move, 
this  part  of  the  precautions  was  soon  effected,  and  the  house 
placed  in  a  species  of  temporary  security. 

While  the  foregoing  was  in  the  course  jf  execution,  Sus- 


THE     REDSKINS.  433 

quesus  and  Jaaf  were  induced  to  change  their  positions,  by 
transferring  themselves  to  the  piazza.  That  change  was 
made,  and  the  two  old  feilows  were  comfortably  seated  in 
their  chairs,  again,  before  a  single  man  of  the  redskins 
moved  a  foot.  There  they  all  remained,  motionless  as  so 
many  statues,  with  the  exception  that  Flintyheart  seemed  to 
be  reconnoitring  with  his  eyes,  the  thicket  that  fringed  the 
neighbouring  ravine,  and  which  formed  a  bit  of  dense  cover, 
as  already  described,  of  some  considerable  extent. 

"  Do  you  wish  the  redskins  in  the  house,  Colonel  ?"  asked 
the  interpreter,  coolly,  when  matters  had  reached  to  this 
pass  ;  "  if  you  do,  it 's  time  to  speak,  or,  they  '11  soon  be  off, 
like  a  flock  of  pigeons,  into  that  cover.  There'll  be  a  fight 
as  sartain  as  they  move,  for  there's  no  more  joke  and 
making  of  faces  about  them  critturs,  than  there  is  about  a 
mile-stone.  So,  it's  best  to  speak  in  time." 

No  delay  occurred  after  this  hint  was  given.  The  request 
of  my  uncle  Ro  that  the  chiefs  would  follow  the  Upright 
Onondago,  was  just  in  time  to  prevent  a  flight;  in  the  sense 
of  Manytongues,  I  mean,  for  it  was  not  very  likely  these 
warriors  would  literally  run  away.  It  is  probable  that  they 
would  have  preferred  the  cover  of  the  woods  as  more  natu 
ral  and  familiar  to  them,  —  but,  I  remarked,  as  the  whole 
party  came  on  the  piazza,  that  Flintyheart,  in  particular, 
cast  a  quick,  scrutinizing  glance  at  the  house,  which  said 
in  pretty  plain  language  that  he  was  examining  its  capa 
bilities  as  a  work  of  defence.  The  movement,  however, 
was  made  with  perfect  steadiness;  and,  what  most  surprised 
us  all,  was  the  fact  that  not  one  of  the  chiefs  appeared  to  pay 
the  slightest  attention  to  their  advancing  foes;  or,  men 
whom  it  was  reasonable  for  them  to  suppose  so  considered 
themselves  to  be.  We  imputed  this  extraordinary  reserve 
to  force  of  character,  and  a  desire  to  maintain  a  calm  and 
dignified  deportment  in  the  presence  of  Susquesus.  If  it 
were  really  the  latter  motive  that  so  completely  restrained 
every  exhibition  of  impatience,  apprehension,  or  disquietude, 
they  had  every  reason  to  congratulate  themselves  on  the 
entire  success  of  their  characteristic  restraint  on  their 
feelings. 

The  Injins  were  just  appearing  on  the  lawn  as  our 
arrangements  were  completed.  John  had  come  to  report 


434  THE     REDSKINS. 

every  shutter  secure,  and  the  gate  and  little  door  barred 
He  also  informed  us  that  all  the  men  and  boys  who  could 
be  mustered,  including  gardeners,  labourers,  and  stable  peo 
ple,  to  the  number  of  five  or  six,  were  in  the  little  passage, 
armed ;  where  rifles  were  ready  also  for  ourselves.  In 
short,  the  preparations  that  had  been  made  by  my  grand 
mother,  immediately  after  her  arrival,  were  now  of  use,  and 
enabled  us  to  make  a  much  more  formidable  resistance,  sus 
tained  as  we  were  by  the  party  from  the  Prairies,  than  I 
could  have  ever  hoped  for  on  so  sudden  an  emergency. 

Our  arrangement  was  very  simple.  The  ladies  were 
seated  near  the  great  door,  in  order  that  they  might  be 
placed  under  cover  the  first,  in  the  event  of  necessity ;  Sus- 
quesus  and  Jaaf  had  their  chairs  a  little  on  one  side,  but 
quite  near  this  group,  and  the  men  from  the  far  West  occu 
pied  the  opposite  end  of  the  piazza,  whither  the  benches  had 
been  removed,  for  their  accommodation.  Manytongues 
stood  between  the  two  divisions  of  our  company,  ready  to 
interpret  for  either;  while  my  uncle,  myself,  John,  and  two 
or  three  of  the  other  servants  took  position  behind  our  aged 
friends.  Seneca  and  his  fellow-incendiary  were  in  the 
midst  of  the  chiefs. 

It  was  just  as  the  Injins  had  got  fairly  on  the  lawn  that 
we  heard  the  clattering  of  hoofs,  and  every  eye  was  turned 
in  the  direction  whence  the  sound  proceeded.  This  was  on 
the  side  of  the  ravine,  and  to  me  it  seemed  from  the  first 
that  some  one  was  approaching  us  through  that  dell.  So  it 
proved,  truly ;  for  soon  Opportunity  came  galloping  up  the 
path,  and  appeared  in  sight.  She  did  not  check  her  horse 
until  under  the  tree,  where  she  alighted,  by  a  single  bound, 
and  hitching  the  animal  to  a  hook  in  the  tree,  she  moved 
swiftly  towards  the  house.  My  sister  Patt  advanced  to  the 
steps  of  the  piazza  to  receive  this  unexpected  guest,  and  I 
was  just  behind  her  to  make  my  bow.  But  the  salutations 
of  Opportunity  were  hasty  and  far  from  being  very  com 
posed.  She  glanced  around  her,  ascertained  the  precise  con 
dition  of  her  brother, — and,  taking  my  arm,  she  led  me  into 
the  library  with  very  little,  or,  indeed,  with  no  ceremony; 
for,  to  give  this  young  woman  her  due,  she  was  a  person  of 
great  energy  when  there  was  anything  serious  to  be  done. 
The  only  sign  of  deviating,  in  the  slightest  degree,  from  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  43f 

object  in  view,  was  pausing  one  instant,  in  passing,  to  mako 
her  compliments  to  my  grandmother. 

"  What,  in  the  name  of  wonder,  do  you  mean  to  do  with 
Sen'/"  demanded  this  active  young  lady,  looking  at  me  in 
tently,  with  an  expression  half-hostile,  half-tender.  "  You 
are  standing  over  an  earthquake,  Mr.  Hugh,  if  you  did  but 
know  it." 

Opportunity  had  confounded  the  effect  with  the  cause, 
but  that  was  of  little  moment  on  an  occasion  so  interest 
ing.  She  was  much  in  earnest,  and  I  had  learned  by  expe 
rience  that  her  hints  and  advice  might  be  of  great  service 
to  us  at  the  Nest. 

"  To  what  particular  danger  do  you  allude,  my  dear  Op 
portunity?" 

"  Ah,  Hugh !  if  things  was  only  as  they  used  to  be,  how 
happy  might  we  all  be  together  here  at  Ravensnest !  But, 
there  is  no  time  to  talk  of  such  things;  for,  as  Sarah  Sooth- 
ings  says,  *  the  heart  is  most  monopolized  when  grief  is  the 
profoundest,  and  it  is  only  when  our  sentiments  rise  freely 
to  the  surface  of  the  imagination,  that  the  mind  escapes  the 
shackles  of  thraldom.'  But,  I  haven't  a  minute  for  Sarah 
Soothings,  even,  just  now.  Don't  you  see  the  Injins?" 

"  Quite  plainly  ;  and  they  probably  see  my  '  Indians.'  >! 

"  Oh !  they  don't  regard  them  now  the  least  in  the 
world.  At  first,  when  they  thought  you  might  have  hired 
a  set  of  desperate  wretches  to  scalp  the  folks,  there  was 
some  misgivings ;  but  the  whole  story  is  now  known,  and 
nobody  cares  a  straw  about  them.  If  anybody's  scalp  is 
taken,  't  will  be  their  own.  Why,  the  whole  country  is  up, 
and  the  report  has  gone  forth,  far  and  near,  that  you  have 
brought  in  with  you  a  set  of  blood-thirsty  savages  from  the 
prairies  to  cut  the  throats  of  women  and  children,  and  drive 
•off  the  tenants,  that  you  may  get  all  the  farms  into  your 
own  hands  before  the  lives  fall  in.  Some  folks  say,  these 
savages  have  had  a  list  of  all  the  lives  named  in  your  leases 
given  to  them,  and  that  they  are  to  make  way  with  all 
such  people  first,  that  you  may  have  the  law  as  much  as 
possible  on  your  side.  You  stand  on  an  earthquake,  Mr. 
Hugh  ; — you  do,  indeed  !" 

"  My  dear  Opportunity,"  I  answered,  laughing,  "  I  am 
infinitely  obliged  to  you  for  all  this  attention  to  my  interests, 


436  THE     REDSKINS. 

and  freely  own  that  on  Saturday  night  you  were  of  great 
service  to  me;  but  I  must  now  think  that  you  magnify  the 
danger — that  you  colour  the  picture  too  high." 

"Not  in  the  least.  I  do  protest,  you  stand  on  an  earth 
quake  ;  and  as  your  friend,  I  have  ridden  over  here  to  tell 
you  as  much,  while  there  is  yet  time." 

"  To  get  off  it,  I  suppose  you  mean.  But  how  can  all 
these  evil  and  blood-thirsty  reports  be  abroad,  when  the 
characters  of  the  Western  Indians  are,  as  you  own  yourself, 
understood,  and  the  dread  of  them  that  did  exist  in  the 
town  has  entirely  vanished1?  There  is  a  contradiction  in 
this." 

"Why,  you  know  how  it  is,  in  anti-rent  times.  When 
an  excitement  is  needed,  folks  don't  stick  at  facts  very 
closely,  but  repeat  things,  and  make  things,  just  as  it  hap 
pens  to  be  convenient." 

"  True ;  I  can  understand  this,  and  have  no  difficulty  in 
believing  you  now.  But  have  you  come  here  this  morning 
simply  to  let  me  know  the  danger  which  besets  me  from 
this  quarter?" 

"  I  believe  I  'm  always  only  too  ready  to  gallop  over  to 
the  Nest !  But  everybody  has  some  weakness  or  other,  and 
I  suppose  I  am  to  be  no  exception  to  the  rule,"  returned  Op 
portunity,  who  doubtless  fancied  the  moment  propitious  to 
throw  in  a  volley  towards  achieving  her  great  conquest, 
and  who  reinforced  that  volley  of  words  with  such  a  glance 
of  the  eye,  as  none  but  a  most  practised  picaroon  on  the 
sea  of  flirtation  could  have  thrown.  "But,  Hugh  —  I  call 
you  Hugh,  Mr.  Littlepage,  for  you  seem  more  like  Hugh  to 
me,  than  like  the  proud,  evil-minded  aristocrat,  and  hard 
hearted  landlord,  that  folks  want  to  make  you  out  to  be  — - 
but  I  never  could  have  told  you  what  I  did  last  night,  had 
supposed  it  would  bring  Sen  into  this  difficulty." 

"  I  can  very  well  understand  how  unpleasantly  you  are 
situated  as  respects  your  brother,  Opportunity,  and  your 
friendly  services  will  not  be  forgotten  in  the  management  of 
his  affairs." 

"  If  you  are  of  this  mind,  why  won't  you  suffer  these 
injins  to  get  him  out  of  the  hands  of  your  real  savages," 
returned  Opportunity,  coaxingly.  "  I  '11  promise  for  him 


THE     REDSKINS.  437 

that  Sen  will  go  off,  and  stay  off  for  some  months,  if  you 
insist  on 't ;  when  all  is  forgotten,  he  can  come  back  again." 

"  Is  the  release  of  your  brother,  then,  the  object  of  this 
visit  from  the  Injins?" 

"  Partly  so  —  they  're  bent  on  having  him.  He  's  in  all 
the  secrets  of  the  anti-renters,  and  they  're  afraid  for  their 
very  lives,  so  long  as  he  's  in  your  hands.  Should  he  get 
a.  little  scared,  and  give  up  only  one-quarter  of  what  he 
knows,  there  'd  be  no  peace  in  the  county  for  a  twelve 
month." 

At  this  instant,  and  before  there  was  time  to  make  an  an 
swer,  I  was  summoned  to  the  piazza,  the  Injins  approach 
ing  so  near  as  to  induce  my  uncle  to  step  to  the  door  and 
call  my  name  in  a  loud  voice.  I  was  compelled  to  quit 
Opportunity,  who  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  show  herself 
among  us,  though  her  presence  in  the  house,  as  an  inter 
cessor  for  her  brother,  could  excite  neither  surprise  nor  re 
sentment. 

When  I  reached  the  piazza,  the  Injins  had  advanced  as 
far  as  the  tree  where  we  had  first  been  posted,  and  there 
they  had  halted,  seemingly  for  a  conference.  In  their  rear, 
Mr.  Warren  was  walking  hurriedly  towards  us,  keeping  the 
direct  line,  regardless  of  those  whom  he  well  knew  to  be 
inimical  to  him,  and  intent  only  on  reaching  the  house 
before  it  could  be  gained  by  the  c  disguised  and  armed.' 
This  little  circumstance  gave  rise  to  an  incident  of  touching 
interest,  and  which  I  cannot  refrain  from  relating,  though 
it  may  interrupt  the  narration  of  matters  that  others  may 
possibly  think  of  more  moment. 

Mr.  Warren  did  not  pass  directly  through  the  crowd  of 
rioters  —  for  such  those  people  were,  in  effect,  unless  the 
epithet  should  be  changed  to  the  still  more  serious  one  of 
rebels  —  but  he  made  a  little  detour,  in  order  to  prevent  a 
collision  that  was  unnecessary.  When  about  half-way  be 
tween  the  tree  and  the  piazza,  however,  the  Injins  gave  a 
discordant  yell,  and  many  of  them  sprang  forward,  as  if  in 
haste  to  overtake,  and  probably  to  arrest,  him.  Just  as  we 
all  involuntarily  arose,  under  a  common  feeling  of  interest 
in  the  fate  of  the  good  rector,  Mary  darted  from  the  piazza, 
was  af  her  father's  side  and  in  his  arms  so  quickly,  as  to 
seem  to  have  flown  there.  Clinging  to  his  side,  she  ajp- 
37* 


438  THE     REDSKINS. 

peared  to  urge  him  towards  us.  But  Mr.  Warren  adopted 
a  course  much  wiser  than  that  of  flight  would  have  been. 
Conscious  of  having  said  or  done  no  more  than  his  duty, 
he  stopped  and  faced  his  pursuers.  The  act  of  Mary  War 
ren  had  produced  a  check  to  the  intended  proceedings  of 
these  lawless  men,  and  the  calm,  dignified  aspect  of  the 
divine  completed  his  conquest.  The  leaders  of  the  Injins 
paused,  conferred  together,  when  all  who  had  issued  from 
the  main  body  returned  to  their  companions  beneath  the 
tree,  leaving  Mr.  Warren  and  his  charming  daughter  at 
liberty  to  join  us  unmolested,  and  with  decorum. 

The  instant  Mary  Warren  left  the  piazza  on  her  pious 
errand,  I  sprang  forward  to  follow  her  with  an  impulse  I 
could  not  control.  Although  my  own  power  over  this  im 
pulsive  movement  was  so  small,  that  of  my  uncle  and  grand 
mother  was  greater.  The  former  seized  the  skirt  of  my 
frock,  and  held  me  back  by  main  strength,  while  the  light 
touch  of  the  latter  had  even  greater  power.  Both  remon 
strated,  and  with  so  much  obvious  justice,  that  I  saw  the 
folly  of  what  I  was  about  in  an  instant,  and  abandoned  my 
iesign.  Had  /  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  anti-renters 
their  momentary  triumph,  at  least,  would  have  been  com 
plete. 

Mr.  Warren  ascended  the  steps  of  the  piazza  with  a  mien 
as  unaltered,  and  an  air  as  undisturbed,  as  if  about  to  enter 
his  own  church.  The  good  old  gentleman  had  so  schooled 
his  feelings,  and  was  so  much  accustomed  to  view  himself 
as  especially  protected,  or  as  so  ready  to  suffer,  when  in 
the  discharge  of  any  serious  duty,  that  I  have  had  occasions 
to  ascertain  fear  was  unknown  to  him.  As  for  Mary,  never 
had  she  appeared  so  truly  lovely,  as  she  ascended  the  steps, 
still  clinging  fondly  and  confidingly  to  his  arm.  The  ex 
citement  of  such  a  scene  had  brought  more  than  the  usual 
quantity  of  blood  into  her  face,  and  the  brilliancy  of  her 
eyes  was  augmented  by  that  circumstance,  perhaps ;  but  I 
fancied  that  a  more  charming  picture  of  feminine  softness, 
blended  with  the  self-devotion  of  the  child,  could  not  have 
been  imagined  by  the  mind  of  man. 

Patt,  dear,  generous  girl,  sprang  forward  to  embrace  her 
friend,  which  she  did  with  warmth  and  honest  fervour,  and 
my  venerable  grandmother  kissed  her  on  both  cheeks,  while 


THE     REDSKINS.  439 

the  oth<r  two  girls  were  not  backward  in  giving  the  cus 
tomary  signs  of  the  sympathy  of  their  sex.  My  uncle  Ro 
even  went  so  far  as  gallantly  to  kiss  her  hand,  causing  the 
poor  girl's  face  to  be  suffused  with  blushes,  while  poor  Hugh 
was  obliged  to  keep  in  the  back-ground,  and  content  him 
self  with  looking  his  admiration.  I  got  one  glance,  how 
ever,  from  the  sweet  creature,  that  was  replete  with  conso 
lation,  since  it  assured  me  that  my  forbearance  was  under 
stood,  and  attributed  to  its  right  motive. 

In  that  singular  scene,  the  men  of  the  prairies  alone  ap 
peared  to  be  unmoved.  Even  the  domestics  and  workmen 
had  betrayed  a  powerful  interest  in  this  generous  act  of 
Mary  Warren's,  the  females  all  screaming  in  chorus,  very 
much  as  a  matter  of  course.  But,  not  an  Indian  moved. 
Scarce  one  turned  his  eyes  from  the  countenance  of  Sus- 
quesus,  though  all  must  have  been  conscious  that  something 
of  interest  was  going  on  so  near  them,  by  the  concern  we 
betrayed ;  and  all  certainly  knew  that  their  enemies  were 
hard  by.  As  respects  the  last,  I  have  supposed  the  uncon 
cern,  or  seeming  unconcern  of  these  western  warriors,  ought 
to  be  ascribed  to  the  circumstance  of  the  presence  of  the 
ladies,  and  an  impression  that  there  could  be  no  very  immi 
nent  risk  of  hostilities  while  the  company  then  present  re 
mained  together.  The  apathy  of  the  chiefs  seemed  to  be 
extended  to  the  interpreter,  who  was  coolly  lighting  his  pipe 
at  the  very  moment  when  the  whole  affair  of  the  Warren 
episode  occurred;  an  occupation  that  was  not  interrupted 
by  the  clamour  and  confusion  among  ourselves. 

As  there  was  a  delay  in  the  nearer  approach  of  the  Injins, 
there  was  leisure  to  confer  together  for  a  moment.  Mr. 
Warren  told  us,  therefore,  that  he  had  seen  the  '  disguised 
and  armed'  pass  the  rectory,  and  had  followed  in  order  to 
act  as  a  mediator  between  us  and  any  contemplated  harm. 

"  The  destruction  of  the  canopy  of  Hugh's  pew,  must 
have  given  you  a  serious  intimation  that  things  were  coming 
to  a  head."  observed  my  grandmother. 

Mr.  Warren  had  not  heard  of  the  affair  of  the  canopy,  at 
all.  Although  living  quite  within  sound  of  a  hammer  used 
in  the  church,  everything  had  been  conducted  with  so  much 
management,  that  the  canopy  had  been  taken  down,  and 
removed  bodily,  without  any  one  in  the  rectory's  knowing 


440  THE     REDSKINS. 

the  fact.  The  latter  had  become  known  at  the  Nest,  solely 
by  the  circumstance  that  the  object  which  had  so  lately 
canopied  aristocracy  in  St.  Andrew's,  Ravensnest,  was  now 
canopying  pigs  up  at  the  farm-house.  The  good  divine 
expressed  his  surprise  a  little  strongly,  and,  as  I  thought 
his  regrets  a  little  indifferently.  He  was  not  one  to  counte 
nance  illegality  and  violence,  and  least  of  all  that  peculiarly 
American  vice,  envy;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  he  was  not 
one  to  look  with  favour  on  the  empty  distinctions,  as  set  up 
between  men  equally  sinners  and  in  need  of  grace  to  redeem 
them  from  a  common  condemnation,  in  the  house  of  God. 
As  the  grave  is  known  to  be  the  great  leveller  of  the  human 
race,  so  ought  the  church  to  be  used  as  a  preparatory  step 
in  descending  to  the  plain  that  all  must  occupy,  in  spirit  at 
least,  before  they  can  hope  to  be  elevated  to  any,  even  of 
the  meanest  places,  among  the  many  mansions  of  our  Fa 
ther's  house ! 

There  was  but  a  short  breathing  time  given  us,  however, 
before  the  Injins  again  advanced.  It  was  soon  evident  they 
did  not  mean  to  remain  mere  idle  spectators  of  the  scene 
that  was  in  the  course  of  enactment  on  the  piazza,  but  that 
it  was  their  intention  to  become  actors,  in  some  mode  or 
other.  Forming  themselves  into  a  line,  that  savoured  a 
great  deal  more  of  the  militia  of  this  great  republic  than 
of  the  warriors  of  the  west,  they  came  on  tramping,  with 
the  design  of  striking  terror  into  our  souls.  Our  arrange 
ments  were  made,  however,  and  on  our  part  every  thing  was 
conducted  just  as  one  could  have  wished.  The  ladies,  in- 
fluenced  by  my  grandmother,  retained  their  seats,  near  the 
door;  the  men  of  the  household  were  standing,  but  con 
tinued  stationary,  while  not  an  Indian  stirred.  As  for  Sus- 
quesus,  he  had  lived  far  beyond  surprises  and  all  emotions 
of  the  lower  class,  and  the  men  of  the  prairies  appeared  to 
take  their  cues  from  him.  So  long  as  he  continued  immov 
able,  they  seemed  disposed  to  remain  immovable  also. 

The  distance  between  the  tree  and  the  piazza,  did  not 
much  exceed  a  hundred  yards,  and  little  time  was  necessary 
to  march  across  it.  I  remarked,  however,  that,  contrary  to 
the  laws  of  attraction,  the  nearer  the  Injins*  line  got  to  its 
goal,  the  slower  and  more  unsteady  its  movement  became, 
It  also  lost  its  formation,  bending  into  curves,  though  its 


THE    REDSKINS.  441 

tramps  became  louder  and  louder,  as  if  those  who  were  in 
rt,  wished  to  keep  alive  their  own  courage  by  noise.  When 
within  fifty  feet  of  the  steps,  they  ceased  to  advance  at  all, 
merely  stamping  with  their  feet,  as  if  hoping  to  frighten  us 
into  flight.  I  thought  this  a  favourable  moment  to  do  that 
which  it  had  been  decided  between  my  uncle  and  myself 
ought  to  be  done  by  me,  as  owner  of  the  property  these  law 
less  men  had  thus  invaded.  Stepping  to  the  front  of  the 
piazza,  I  made  a  sign  for  attention.  The  tramping  ceased 
all  at  once,  and  I  had  a  profound  silence  for  my  speech. 

"  You  know  me,  all  of  you,"  I  said,  quietly  I  know,  and 
I  trust  firmly ;  "  and  you  know,  therefore,  that  I  am  the 
owner  of  this  house  and  these  lands.  As  such  owner,  I 
order  every  man  among  you  to  quit  the  place,  and  to  go 
into  the  highway,  or  upon  the  property  of  some  other  per 
son.  Whoever  remains,  after  this  notice,  will  be  a  tres 
passer,  and  the  evil  done  by  a  trespasser  is  doubly  serious 
in  the  eyes  of  the  law." 

I  uttered  these  words  loud  enough  to  be  heard  by  every 
body  present,  but  I  cannot  pretend  that  they  were  attended 
by  much  success.  The  calico  bundles  turned  towards  each 
other,  and  there  was  an  appearance  of  a  sort  of  commotion, 
but  the  leaders  composed  the  people,  the  omnipotent  people 
in  this  instance,  as  they  do  in  most  others.  The  sovereignty 
of  the  mass  is  a  capital  thing  as  a  principle,  and  once  in  a 
long  while  it  evinces  a  great  good  in  practice ;  in  a  certain 
sense,  it  is  always  working  good,  by  holding  a  particular 
class  of  most  odious  and  intolerable  abuses  in  check ;  but, 
as  for  the  practice  of  every-day  political  management,  their 
imperial  majesties,  the  sovereigns  of  America,  of  whom  I 
happen  to  be  one,  have  quite  as  little  connection  with  the 
measures  they  are  made  to  seem  to  demand,  and  to  sustain, 
as  the  Nawab  of  Oude  ;  if  the  English,  who  are  so  disin 
terested  as  to  feel  a  generous  concern  for  the  rights  of  man 
kind,  whenever  the  great  republic  adds  a  few  acres  to  the 
small  paternal  homestead,  have  left  any  such  potentate  in 
existence. 

So  it  was  with  the  decision  of  the  "  disguised  and  armed," 
on  the  occasion  I  am  describing.  They  decided  that  no 
other  notice  should  be  taken  of  my  summons  to  quit,  than  a 
contemptuous  yell,  though  they  had  to  ascertain  from  their 


442  THE     REDSKINS. 

leaders  what  they  had  decided  before  they  knew  themselves. 
The  shout  was  pretty  general,  notwithstanding,  and  it  had 
one  good  effect;  that  of  satisfying  the  Injins,  themselves, 
that  they  had  made  a  clear  demonstration  of  their  contempt 
of  my  authority,  which  they  fancied  victory  sufficient  for 
the  moment ;  nevertheless,  the  demonstration  did  not  end 
exactly  here.  Certain  cries,  and  a  brief  dialogue,  succeeded, 
which  it  may  be  well  to  record. 

"  King  Littlepage,"  called  out  one,  from  among  the  '  dis 
guised  and  armed,'  what  has  become  of  your  throne?  St. 
Andrew's  meeting-'us'  has  lost  its  monarch's  throne!" 

"  His  pigs  have  set  up  for  great  aristocrats  of  late ;  pre 
sently  they  '11  want  to  be  patroons." 

"  Hugh  Littlepage,  be  a  man  ;  come  down  to  a  level  with 
your  fellow-citizens,  and  don't  think  yourself  any  bettef 
than  other  folks.  You  're  but  flesh  and  blood,  a'ter  all." 

"  Why  don't  you  invite  me  to  come  and  dine  with  you, 
as  well  as  priest  Warren?  I  can  eat,  as  well  as  any  man 
in  the  county,  and  as  much." 

"  Yes,  and  he  '11  drink,  too,  Hugh  Littlepage ;  so  provide 
your  best  liquor  the  day  he's  to  be  invited." 

All  this  passed  for  wit  among  the  Injins,  and  among  that 
portion  of  the  "virtuous  and  honest  and  hard-working,"  who 
not  only  kept  them  on  foot,  but  on  this  occasion  kept  them 
company  also;  it  having  since  been  ascertained  that  about 
one-half  of  that  band  was  actually  composed  of  the  tenants 
of  the  Ravensnest  farms.  I  endeavoured  to  keep  myself 
cool,  and  succeeded  pretty  well,  considering  the  inducements 
there  were  to  be  angry.  Argument  with  such  men  was  out 
of  the  question, — and  knowing  their  numbers  and  physical 
superiority,  they  held  my  legal  rights  in  contempt.  What 
was  probably  worse  than  all,  they  knew  that  the  law  itself 
was  administered  by  the  people,  and  that  they  had  little  to 
apprehend,  and  did  apprehend  virtually  nothing  from  any 
of  the  pains  and  penalties  it  might  undertake  to  inflict,  should 
recourse  be  had  to  it  at  any  future  day.  Ten  or  a  dozen 
wily  agents  sent  through  the  country  to  circulate  lies,  and 
to  visit  the  county  town  previously  to,  and  during  a  trial,  in 
order  to  raise  a  party  that  will  act  more  or  less  directly  on 
the  minds  of  the  jurors,  with  a  newspaper  or  two  to  scatter 
untruths  and  prejudices,  would  at  least  be  as  effective,  at 


THE     REDSKINS.  443 

the  critical  moment,  as  the  law,  the  evidence,  and  the  right. 
As  for  the  judges,  and  their  charges,  they  have  lost  most  of 
their  influence,  under  the  operation  of  this  nefarious  system, 
and  count  but  for  very  little  in  the  administration  of  justice 
either  at  Nisi  Prius  or  at  Oyer  Terminer.  These  are  me 
lancholy  truths,  that  any  man  who  quits  his  theories  and 
descends  into  the  arena  of  practice  will  soon  ascertain  to  bo 
such,  to  his  wonder  and  alarm,  if  he  be  a  novice  and  an 
honest  man.  A  portion  of  this  unhappy  state  of  things  is  a 
consequence  of  the  legislative  tinkering  that  has  destroyed 
one  of  the  most  healthful  provisions  of  the  common  law,  in 
prohibiting  the  judges  to  punish  for  contempt,  unless  for  out 
rages  committed  in  open  court.  The  press,  in  particular, 
now  profits  by  this  impunity,  and  influences  the  decision  of 
nearly  every  case  that  can  at  all  enlist  public  feeling.  All 
these  things  men  feel,  and  few  who  are  wrong  care  for  the 
law ;  for  those  who  are  right,  it  is  true,  there  is  still  some 
danger.  My  uncle  Ro  says  America  is  no  more  like  what 
America  was  in  this  respect  twenty  years  since,  than  Kamt- 
schatka  is  like  Italy.  For  myself,  I  wish  to  state  the  truth  5 
exaggerating  nothing,  nor  yet  taking  refuge  in  a  dastardly 
concealment. 

Unwilling  to  be  browbeaten  on  the  threshold  of  my  own 
Joor,  I  determined  to  say  something  ere  I  returned  to  my 
^lace.  Men  like  these  before  me  can  never  understand  that 
silence  proceeds  from  contempt;  and  I  fancied  it  best  to 
make  some  sort  of  a  reply  to  the  speeches  I  have  recorded, 
and  to  twenty  more  of  the  same  moral  calibre.  Motioning 
for  silence,  I  again  obtained  it. 

"  I  have  ordered  you  to  quit  my  lawn,  in  the  character 
of  its  owner,"  I  said,  "  and,  by  remaining,  you  make  your- 
selves  trespassers.  As  for  what  you  have  done  to  my 
pew,  I  should  thank  you  for  it,  had  it  not  been  done  in  vio 
lation  of  the  right ;  for  it  was  fully  my  intention  to  have 
that  canopy  removed  as  soon  as  the  feeling  about  it  had 
subsided.  I  am  as  much  opposed  to  distinctions  of  any 
sort  in  the  house  of  God  as  any  of  you  can  be,  and  desire 
them  not  for  myself,  or  any  belonging  to  me.  I  ask  for 
nothing  but  equal  rights  with  all  my  fellow-citizens ;  that 
my  propertj'  should  be  as  much  protected  as  theirs,  but  not 


4 14  THEREDSKINS. 

more  so.  But,  I  do  not  conceive  that  you  or  any  man  has 
a  right  to  ask  to  share  in  my  world's  goods  any  more  than 
I  have  a  right  to  ask  to  share  in  his ;  that  you  can  more 
justly  claim  a  portion  of  my  lands  than  I  can  claim  a  share 
in  your  cattle  and  crops.  It  is  a  poor  rule  that  does  not 
work  both  ways." 

"  You  're  an  aristocrat,"  cried  one  from  among  the  In- 
jins,  "  or  you  'd  be  willing  to  let  other  men  have  as  much 
land  as  you've  got  yourself.  You 're  a  patroon ;  and  all 
patroons  are  aristocrats,  and  hateful.'* 

"  An  aristocrat,"  I  answered,  "  is  one  of  a  few  who  wield 
political  power.  The  highest  birth,  the  largest  fortune,  tho 
most  exclusive  association  would  not  make  an  aristocrat, 
without  the  addition  of  a  narrow  political  power.  In  this 
country  there  are  no  aristocrats,  because  there  is  no  narrow 
political  power.  There  is,  however,  a  spurious  aristocracy 
which  you  do  not  recognize,  merely  because  it  does  not 
happen  to  be  in  the  hands  of  gentlemen.  Demagogues  and 
editors  are  your  privileged  classes,  and  consequently  your 
aristocrats,  and  none  others.  As  for  your  landlord  aristo 
crats,  listen  to  a  true  tale,  which  will  satisfy  you  how  far 
they  deserve  to  be  called  an  aristocracy.  Mark  !  what  I 
now  tell  you  is  religious  truth,  and  it  deserves  to  be  known 
far  and  near,  wherever  your  cry  of  aristocracy  reaches. 
There  is  a  landlord  in  this  State,  a  man  of  large  means 
who  became  liable  for  the  debts  of  another  to  a  considerable 
amount.  At  the  very  moment  when  his  rents  could  not  be 
collected,  owing  to  your  interference  and  the  remissness  of 
those  in  authority  to  enforce  the  laws,  the  sheriff  entered  his 
house,  and  sold  its  contents,  in  order  to  satisfy  an  execution- 
against  him  !  There  is  American  aristocracy  for  you,  and 
I  am  sorry  to  add  American  justicer  as  justice  has  got  to  be 
administered  among  us." 

I  was  not  disappointed  in  the  effect  of  this  narration  of 
what  is  a  sober  truth.  Wherever  I  have  told  it,  it  has  con 
founded  even  the  most  brawling  demagogue,  and  momenta 
rily  revived  in  his  breast  some  of  those  principles  of  right 
which  God  originally  planted  there.  American  aristocracy, 
in  sooth  !  Fortunate  is  the  gentleman  that  can  obtain  even 
a  reluctant  and  meagre  justice. 


THE     REDSKINS.  445 


CHAPTEE  XXIX. 

«  How  far  that  little  candle  throws  his  beams ; 
So  shines  a  good  deed  in  a  naughty  world." 

SHAKSPEAHE, 

I  HAVE  said  that  my  narrative  of  the  manner  in  which 
justice  is  sometimes  meted  out  among  us  was  not  without 
its  effect  on  even  that  rude' band  of  selfish  and  envious  riot 
ers  :  rude,  because  setting  at  naught  reason  and  the  law ; 
and  selfish,  because  induced  so  to  do  by  covetousness,  and 
the  desire  to  substitute  the  tenants  for  those  whom  they  fan 
cied  to  be  better  off  in  the  world  than  they  were  themselves. 
A  profound  stillness  succeeded ;  and  after  the  bundles  of 
calico  had  whispered  one  with  another  for  a  moment  or  two, 
they  remained  quiet,  seemingly  indisposed,  just  then,  at  least, 
to  molest  us  any  farther.  I  thought  the  moment  favourable, 
and  fell  back  to  my  old  station,  determined  to  let  things  take 
their  own  course.  This  change,  and  the  profound  stillness 
that  succeeded,  brought  matters  back  to  the  visit  of  the  In 
dians,  and  its  object. 

During  the  whole  time  occupied  by  the  advance  of  the 
"  Injins,"  the  men  of  the  prairies  and  Susquesus  had  conti; 
nued  nearly  as  motionless  as  so  many  statues.  It  is  true 
that  the  eyes  of  Flintyheart  were  on  the  invaders,  but  he 
managed  to  take  good  heed  of  them  without  betraying  any 
undue  uneasiness  or  care.  Beyond  this,  I  do  affirm  that  I 
scarce  noted  a  single  sign  of  even  vigilance  among  these 
extraordinary  beings ;  though  Manytongues  afterwards  gave 
me  to  understand  that  they  knew  very  well  what  they  were 
about ;  and  then  I  could  not  be  watching  the  red-men  the 
whole  time.  Now  that  there  was  a  pause,  however,  every 
body  and  thing  seemed  to  revert  to  the  original  visit,  as  natu 
rally  as  if  no  interruption  had  occurred.  Manytongues,  by 
way  of  securing  attention,  called  on  the  Injins,  in  an  autho 
ritative  voice,  to  offer  no  interruption  to  the  proceedings  ot 
the  chiefs,  which  had  a  species  of  religious  sanctity,  and  waa 
not  D  be  too  much  interfered  with,  with  impunity. 
38 


446  THE     REDSKINS. 

*  So  long  as  you  keep  quiet,  my  warriors  will  not  molest 
you,"  he  added ;  "  but  if  any  man  amongst  you  has  ever 
been  on  the  prer-ies,  he  must  understand  enough  of  the  natur 
of  a  redskin  to  know  that  when  he's  in  'airnest  he  is  in 
'airnest.  Men  who  are  on  a  journey  three  thousand  rnilea 
in  length,  don't  turn  aside  for  trifles,  which  is  a  sign  that 
serious  business  has  brought  these  chiefs  here." 

Whether  it  was  that  this  admonition  produced  an  effect. 
or  that  curiosity  influenced  the  "  disguised  and  armed,"  or 
that  they  did  not  choose  to  proceed  to  extremities,  or  that 
all  three  considerations  had  their  weight,  is  more  than  I  can 
say  ;  but  it  is  certain  the  whole  band  remained  stationary, 
quiet  and  interested  observers  of  what  now  occurred,  until 
an  interruption  took  place,  which  will  be  related  in  proper 
time.  Many  tongues,  who  had  posted  himself  near  the  centre 
of  the  piazza,  to  interpret,  now  signified  to  the  chiefs  that 
they  might  pursue  their  own  purposes  in  tranquillity.  After 
a  decent  pause,  the  same  young  warrior  who  had  "  called 
up"  Jaaf,  in  the  first  instance,  now  rose  again,  and  with  a 
refinement  in  politeness  that  would  be  looked  for  in  vain  in 
most  of  the  deliberative  bodies  of  civilized  men,  adverted  to 
the  circumstance  that  the  negro  had  not  finished  his  address, 
and  might  have  matter  on  his  mind  of  which  he  wished  to 
be  delivered.  This  was  said  simply,  but  distinctly  ;  and  it 
was  explained  to  the  negro  by  Manytongues,  who  assured 
him  not  one  among  all  the  chiefs  would  say  a  word  until 
the  last  person  "  on  his  legs"  had  an  opportunity  of  finish 
ing  his  address.  This  reserve  marks  the  deportment  of 
those  whom  we  call  savages ;  men  that  have  their  own 
fierce,  and  even  ruthless  customs,  beyond  all  controversy, 
but  who  possess  certain  other  excellent  qualities  that  do  not 
appear  to  flourish  in  the  civilized  state. 

It  was  with  a  good  deal  of  difficulty  that  we  got  old  Jaaf 
up  again  ;  for,  though  a  famous  grumbler,  he  was  not  much 
of  an  orator.  As  it  was  understood  that  no  chief  would 
speak,  however,  until  the  black  had  exhausted  his  right,  my 
dear  Patt  had  to  go,  and,  laying  one  of  her  ivory-looking 
hands  on  the  shoulder  of  the  grim  old  negro,  persuade  him 
to  rise  and  finish  his  speech.  He  knew  her,  and  she  sue- 
ceeded ;  it  being  worthy  of  remark,  that  while  this  aged 
Dlack  scarce  remembered  for  an  hour  what  occurred,  con 


THE     REDSKINS.  447 

founding  dates  fearfully,  often  speaking  of  my  grandmother 
as  Miss  Dus,  and  as  if  she  were  still  a  girl,  he  knew  every 
one  of  the  family  then  living,  and  honoured  and  loved  us 
accordingly,  at  the  very  moments  he  would  fancy  we  had 
been  present  at  scenes  that  occurred  when  our  great-grand 
parents  were  young  people.  But  to  the  speech — 

"  What  all.  dem  fellow  want,  bundle  up  in  calico,  like  so 
many  squaw  ?"  growled  out  Jaaf,  as  soon  as  on  his  legs, 
and  looking  intently  at  the  Injins,  ranged  as  they  were  in 
a  line  four  deep,  quite  near  the  piazza.  "  Why  you  let  'em 
come,  Masser  Hugh,  Masser  Hodge,  Masser  Mai  bone,  Mas- 
ser  Mordaunt — which  you  be  here,  now,  I  don't  know,  dere 
so  many,  and  it  so  hard  to  'member  ebbery  t'ing?  Oh!  I 
so  ole  ! — I  do  won'er  when  my  time  come !  Dere  Sus,  too, 
he  good  for  nuttin' at  all.  Once  he  great  wal'ker  —  great 
warrior — great  hunter — pretty  good  fellow  for  redskin  ;  but 
he  quite  wore  out.  Don't  see  much  use  why  he  lib  any 
longer.  Injin  good  for  nuttin'  when  he  can't  hunt.  Some 
time  he  make  basket  and  broom ;  but  dey  uses  better  broom 
now,  and  Injin  lose  dat  business.  What  dem  calico  debbil 
want  here,  eh,  Miss  Patty?  Dere  redskin,  too— two,  t'ree, 
four — all  come  to  see  Sus.  W^on'er  nigger  don't  come  to 
see  me!  Ole  black  good  as  ole  red-man.  Where  dern  fel 
low  get  all  dat  calico,  and  put  over  deir  face  ?  Massei 
Hodge,  what  all  dat  mean  ?" 

"  These  are  anti-renters,  Jaaf,"  my  uncle  coldly  answer- 
id,  "  Men  that  wish  to  own  your  Master  Hugh's  farms, 
and  relieve  him  from  the  trouble  of  receiving  any  more  rent. 
They  cover  their  faces,  I  presume,  to  conceal  their  blushes, 
the  modesty  of  their  natures  sinking  under  the  sense  of 
their  own  generosity." 

Although  it  is  not  very  probable  that  Jaaf  understood 
the  whole  of  this  speech,  he  comprehended  a  part ;  for,  so 
thoroughly  had  his  feelings  been  aroused  on  this  subject,  a 
year  or  two  earlier,  when  his  mind  was  not  quite  so  much 
dimmed  as  at  present,  that  the  impression  made  was  indeli 
ble.  The  effect  of  what  my  uncle  said,  nevertheless,  was 
most  apparent  among  the  Injins,  who  barely  escaped  an 
outbreak.  My  uncle  has  been  blamed  for  imprudence,  in 
having  resorted  to  irony  on  such  an  occasion ;  but,  after  all, 
I  am  far  from  sure  good  did  not  come  of  it.  Of  one  thing, 


448  THE     REDSKINS. 

I  am  certain ;  nothing  is  ever  gained  by  temporizing  on  the 
subject  of  principles;  that  which  is  right,  had  better  always 
be  freely  said,  since  it  is  from  the  sacrifices  that  are  made 
of  the  truth,  as  concessions  to  expediency,  that  error  ob 
tains  one-half  its  power.  Policy,  or  fear,  or  some  other 
motive  kept  the  rising  ire  of  the  Injins  under,  however,  and 
no  interruption  occurred,  in  consequence  of  this  speech. 

"  What  you  want  here,  fellow  ?"  demanded  Jaaf,  rough 
ly^  and  speaking  as  a  scold  would  break  out  on  some  in 
trusive  boy.  "Home  wid  ye! — get  out!  Oh!  1  do  grow 
so  ole ! — I  wish  I  was  as  I  was  when  young  for  your  sake, 
you  varmint !  What  you  want  wid  Masser  Hugh's  land  ? — 
why  dat  you  t'ink  to  get  gentle'em's  property,  eh  ?  'Mem 
ber  Je  time  when  your  fadder  come  creepin'  and  beggin'  to 
Masser  Mordy,  to  ask  just  little  farm  to  lib  on,  and  be  he 
tenant,  and  try  to  do  a  little  for  he  family,  like ;  and  now 
come,  in  calico  bundle,  to  tell  my  Masser  Hugh  dat  he  shan't 
be  masser  of  he  own  land.  Who  you,  I  want  to  know,  to 
come  and  talk  to  gentle'em  in  dis  poor  fashion?  Go  home 
—get  out — off  wid  you,  or  you  hear  what  you  don't  like." 

Now,  while  there  was  a  good  deal  of  "  nigger"  in  this 
argument,  it  was  quite  as  good  as  that  which  was  sometimes 
advanced  in  support  of  the  "  spirit  of  the  Institutions,"  more 
especially  that  part  of  the  latter  which  is  connected  with 
"  aristocracy"  and  "  poodle  usages."  The  negro  had  an 
idea  that  all  his  "  massers,"  old  and  young,  were  better  than 
the  rest  of  the  human  race;  while  the  advocates  of  the 
modern  movement  seem  to  think  that  every  right  is  concen 
trated  in  the  lower  half  of  the  great  "  republican  family." 
Every  gentleman  is  no  gentleman ;  and  every  blackguard, 
a  gentleman,  for  one  postulate  of  their  great  social  proposi 
tion  ;  and,  what  is  more,  every  man  in  the  least  elevated 
above  the  mass,  unless  so  elevated  by  the  mass,  who  con 
sequently  retain  the  power  to  pull  him  down  again,  has  no 
rights  at  all,  when  put  in  opposition  to  the  cravings  of  num 
bers.  So,  that  after  all,  the  negro  was  not  much  more  ou 
of  the  way,  in  his  fashion  of  viewing  things,  than  the  phi- 
.osophers  of  industrious  honesty  !  Happily,  neither  the 
reasoning  of  one  of  these  parties,  nor  that  of  the  other,  has 
much  influence  on  the  actual  state  of  things.  Facts  are 
facts,  and  the  flounderings  of  envy  and  covetousness  can 


THE     REDSKINS.  449 

no  more  shut  men's  eyes  to  their  existence,  and  prove  that 
black  is  white,  than  Jaaf's  long-enduring  and  besetting 
notion  that  the  Litllepages  are  the  great  of  the  earth,  can 
make  us  more  than  what  we  certainly  are.  I  have  recorded 
the  negro's  speech,  simply  to  show  some,  who  listen  only  to 
the  misstatements  and  opinions  of  those  who  wish  to  become 
owners  of  other  men's  farms,  that  there  are  two  sides  to  tho 
question  ;  and,  in  the  way  of  argument,  I  do  not  see  but  ono 
is  quite  as  good  as  the  other. 

One  could  hardly  refrain  from  smiling,  notwithstanding 
the  seriousness  of  the  circumstances  in  which  we  were 
placed,  at  the  gravity  of  the  Indians  during  the  continuance 
of  this  queer  episode.  Not  one  of  them  all  rose,  turned 
round,  or  manifested  the  least  impatience,  or  even  curiosity. 
The  presence  of  two  hundred  armed  men,  bagged  in  calico, 
did  not  induce  them  to  look  about  them,  though  their  pre 
vious  experience  with  this  gallant  corps  may  possibly  have 
led  them  to  hold  it  somewhat  cheap. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  the  Indians  to  carry  out  the 
main  design  of  their  visit  to  Ravensnest,  and  Prairiefire 
slowly  arose  to  speak.  The  reader  will  understand  that 
Manytongues  translated,  sentence  by  sentence,  all  that  pass 
ed,  he  being  expert  in  the  different  dialects  of  the  tribes,  some 
of  which  had  carried  that  of  the  Onondagoes  to  the  prairies. 
In  this  particular,  the  interpreter  was  a  somewhat  remark 
able  man,  not  only  rendering  what  was  said  readily  and 
without  hesitation,  but  energetically  and  with  considerable 
power.  It  may  be  well  to  add,  however,  that  in  writing  out 
the  language  I  may  have  used  English  expressions  that  are 
a  little  more  choice,  in  some  instances,  than  those  given  by 
this  uneducated  person. 

"  Father,"  commenced  Prairiefire,  solemnly,  and  with  a 
dignity  that  it  is  not  usual  to  find  connected  with  modern 
oratory  ;  the  gestures  he  used  being  few,  but  of  singular  force 
and  significance — "Father — the  minds  of  your  children  are 
heavy.  They  have  travelled  over  a  long  and  thorny  path, 
with  moccasins  worn  out,  and  feet  that  were  getting  sore ; 
but  their  minds  were  light.  They  hoped  to  look  at  the  face 
of  the  Upright  Onondago,  when  they  got  to  the  end  of  the 
path.  They  have  come  to  the  end  of  that  path,  and  they 
see  him.  He  looks  as  they  expected  he  would  look.  He 
38* 


450  THE     REDSKINS. 

is  like  an  oak  that  lightning  may  burn,  and  the  snows  cover 
with  moss,  but  which  a  thousand  storms  and  a  hundred 
winters  cannot  strip  of  its  leaves.  He  looks  like  the  oldest 
oak  in  the  forest.  He  is  very  grand.  It  is  pleasant  to  look 
on  him.  When  we  see  him,  we  see  a  chief  who  knew  our 
fathers'  fathers,  and  their  fathers'  fathers.  That  is  a  long 
time  ago.  He  is  a  tradition,  and  knows  all  things.  There 
is  only  one  thing  about  him,  that  ought  not  to  be.  He  was 
born  a  red-man,  but  has  lived  so  long  with  the  pale-faces, 
that  when  he  does  go  away  to  the  Happy  Hunting-Grounds, 
we  are  afraid  the  good  spirits  will  mistake  him  for  a  pale 
face,  and  point  out  the  wrong  path.  Should  this  happen, 
the  red-men  would  lose  the  Upright  of  the  Onondagoes,  for 
ever.  It  should  not  be  My  father  does  not  wish  it  to 
be.  He  will  think  better.  He  will  come  back  among  his 
children,  and  leave  his  wisdom  and  advice  among  the  peo 
ple  of  his  own  colour.  I  ask  him  to  do  this. 

"  It  is  a  long  path,  now,  to  the  wigwams  of  red-men.  It 
was  not  so  once,  but  the  path  has  been  stretched.  It  is  a 
very  long  path.  Our  young  men  travel  it  often,  to  visit  the 
graves  of  their  fathers,  and  they  know  how  long  it  is.  My 
tongue  is  not  crooked,  but  it  is  straight ;  it  will  not  sing  a 
false  song  —  it  tells  my  father  the  truth. '  The  path  is  very 
long.  But  the  pale-faces  are  wonderful !  What  have  they 
not  done?  What  will  they  not  do?  They  have  made 
canoes  and  sledges  that  fly  swift  as  the  birds.  The  deer 
could  not  catch  them.  They  have  wings  of  fire,  and  never 
weary.  They  go  when  men  sleep.  The  path  is  long,  but 
it  is  soon  travelled  with  such  wings.  My  father  can  make 
the  journey,  and  not  think  of  weariness.  Let  him  try  it. 
His  children  will  take  good  care  of  him.  Uncle  Sam  will 
give  him  venison,  and  he  will  want  nothing.  Then,  when 
he  starts  for  the  Happy  Hunting-Grounds,  he  will  not  mis 
take  the  path,  and  will  live  with  red-men  for  ever." 

A  long,  solemn  pause  succeeded  this  speech,  which  was 
delivered  with  great  dignity  and  emphasis.  I  could  see  that 
Susquesus  was  touched  with  this  request,  and  at  the  homage 
paid  his  character,  by  having  tribes  from  the  prairies  — 
tribes  of  which  he  had  never  even  heard  through  traditions 
«n  his  younger  days  —  come  so  far  to  do  justice  to  hla 
character;  to  request  him  to  go  and  die  in  their  midst.  P 


THE     REDSKINS.  451 

is  true,  he  must  have  known  that  the  fragments  of  the  old 
New  York  tribes  had  mostly  found  their  way  to  those  dis 
tant  regions ;  nevertheless,  it  could  not  but  be  soothing  to 
learn  that  even  they  had  succeeded  in  making  so  strong  an 
impression  in  his  favour,  by  means  of  their  representations. 
Most  men  of  his  great  age  would  have  been  insensible  to  feel 
ings  of  this  sort.  Such,  in  a  great  degree,  was  the  fact  with 
Jaaf ;  but  such  was  not  the  case  with  the  Onondago.  As  he 
had  said  in  his  former  speech  to  his  visiters,  his  mind  dwelt 
more  on  the  scenes  of  his  youth,  and  native  emotions  came 
fresher  to  his  spirit,  now,  than  they  had  done  even  in  middle 
age.  All  that  remained  of  his  youthful  fire  seemed  to  be 
awakened,  and  he  did  not  appear  that  morning,  except  when 
compelled  to  walk  and  in  his  outward  person,  to  be  a  man 
who  had  seen  much  more  than  his  three-score  years  and  ten. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  now  that  the  chiefs  from  the  prai 
nes  had  so  distinctly  made  known  the  great  object  of  their 
visit,  and  so  vividly  portrayed  their  desire  to  receive  back, 
into  the  bosom  of  their  communities,  one  of  their  colour 
and  race,  it  remained  for  the  Onondago  to  let  the  manner 
in  which  he  viewed  this  proposition  be  known.  The- pro 
found  stillness  that  reigned  around  him  must  have  assured 
the  old  Indian  how  anxiously  his  reply  was  expected.  It 
extended  even  to  the  '  disguised  and  armed,'  who,  by  this 
time,  seemed  to  be  as  much  absorbed  in  the  interest  of  this 
curious  scene  as  any  of  us  who  occupied  the  piazza.  I  do 
believe  that  anti-rentisrn  was  momentarily  forgotten  by  all 
parties — tenants,  as  well  as  landlords;  landlords,  as  well  as 
tenants.  I  dare  say,  Prairiefire  had  taken  his  seat  three 
minutes  ere  Susquesus  arose;  during  all  which  time,  the 
deep  stillness,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  prevailed. 

"  My  children,"  answered  the  Onondago,  whose  voice 
possessed  just  enough  of  the  hollow  tremulousness  of  age 
to  render  it  profoundly  impressive,  but  who  spoke  so  dis' 
tinctly  as  to  be  heard  by  all  present — "  My  children,  we  do 
not  know  what  will  happen  when  we  are  young  —  all  is 
young,  too,  that  we  see.  It  is  when  we  grow  old,  that  all 
grows  old  with  us.  Youth  is  full  of  hope;  but  age  is  full 
of  eyes ;  it  sees  things  as  they  are.  I  have  lived  in  my 
wigwam  alone,  since  the  Great  Spirit  called  out  the  name 
of  my  mother,  and  she  hurried  away  to  the  Happy  Hunting- 


452  THE     REDSKINS. 

Grounds  to  cook  venison  for  my  father,  who  was  called 
first.  My  father  was  a  great  warrior.  You  did  not  know 
him.  He  was  killed  by  the  Delawares,  more  than  a  hun 
dred  winters  ago. 

"  I  have  told  you  the  truth.  When  my  mother  went 
to  cook  venison  for  her  husband,  I  was  left  alone  in  my 
wigwam." 

Here  a  long  pause  succeeded,  during  which  Susquesus 
appeared  to  be  struggling  with  his  own  feelings,  though  he 
continued  erect,  like  a  tree  firmly  rooted.  As  for  the 
chiefs,  most  of  them  inclined  their  bodies  forward  to  listen, 
so  intense  was  their  interest ;  here  and  there  one  of  their 
number  explaining  in  soft  guttural  tones,  certain  passages 
in  the  speech  to  some  other  Indians,  who  did  not  fully  com 
prehend  the  dialect  in  which  they  were  uttered.  After  a 
time,  Susquesus  proceeded  :  "  Yes,  I  lived  alone.  A  young 
squaw  was  to  have  entered  my  wigwam  and  staid  there. 
She  never  came.  She  wished  to  enter  it,  but  she  did  not. 
Another  warrior  had  her  promise,  and  it  was  right  that  she 
should  keep  her  word.  Her  mind  was  heavy  at  first,  but 
she  lived  to  feel  that  it  is  good  to  be  just.  No  squaw  has 
ever  lived  in  any  wigwam  of  mine.  I  did  not  think  ever  to 
be  a  father :  but  see  how  different  it  has  turned  out !  I  am 
now  the  father  of  all  red-men  !  Every  Indian  warrior  is 
my  son.  You  are  my  children  ;  I  will  own  you  when  we 
meet  on  the  pleasant  paths  beyond  the  hunts  you  make  to 
day.  You  will  call  me  father,  and  I  will  call  you  sons. 

"  That  will  be  enough.  You  ask  me  to  go  on  the  long 
path  with  you,  and  leave  my  bones  on  the  prairies.  I  have 
heard  of  those  hunting-grounds.  Our  ancient  traditions 
told  us  of  them.  '  Towards  the  rising  sun,'  they  said, 
'  is  a  great  salt  lake,  and  towards  the  setting  sun,  great 
lakes  of  sweet  water.  Across  the  great  salt  lake  is  a  dis 
tant  country,  filled  with  pale-faces,  who  live  in  large  vil 
lages,  and  in  the  midst  of  cleared  fields.  Towards  the  set 
ting  sun  were  large  cleared  fields,  too,  but  no  pale-faces,  and 
few  villages.  Some  of  our  wise  men  thought  these  fields 
were  the  fields  of  red-men  following  the  pale-faces  round 
after  the  sun ;  some  thought  they  were  fields  in  which  the 
pale-faces  were  following  them.  I  think  this  was  the  truth. 
The  red-man  cannot  hide  himself  in  any  corner,  where  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  453 

pale-face  will  not  find  him.  The  Great  Spirit  will  have  it 
so.  It  is  his  will ;  the  red-man  must  submit.' 

"  My  sons,  the  journey  you  ask  me  to  make  is  too  long 
for  old  age.  I  have  lived  with  the  pale-faces,  until  one-half 
of  my  heart  is  white  :  though  the  other  half  is  red.  One- 
half  is  filled  with  the  traditions  of  my  fathers,  the  other  half 
is  filled  with  the  wisdom  of  the  stranger.  I  cannot  cut  my 
heart  in  two  pieces.  It  must  all  go  with  you,  or  all  stay 
here.  The  body  must  stay  with  the  heart,  and  both  must 
remain  where  they  have  now  dwelt  so  long.  I  thank  you, 
my  children,  but  what  you  wish  can  never  come  to  pass. 

"  You  see  a  very  old  man,  but  you  see  a  very  unsettled 
mind.  There  are  red  traditions  and  pale-face  traditions. 
Both  speak  of  the  Great  Spirit,  but  only  one  speak  of  his 
son.  A  soft  voice  has  been  whispering  in  my  ear,  lately, 
much  of  the  Son  of  God.  Do  they  speak  to  you  in  that  way 
on  the  prairies?  I  know  not  what  to  think. — I  wish  to 
think  what  is  right ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to  understand." 

Here  Susquesus  paused ;  then  he  took  his  seat,  with  the 
air  of  one  who  was  at  a  loss  how  to  explain  his  own  feel 
ings.  Prairiefire  waited  a  respectful  time  for  him  to  con 
tinue  his  address,  but  perceiving  that  he  rose  not,  he  stood 
up,  himself,  to  request  a  further  explanation. 

"  My  father  has  spoken  wisdom,"  he  said,  *«  and  his  chil 
dren  have  listened.  They  have  not  heard  enough ;  they 
wish  to  hear  more.  If  my  father  is  tired  of  standing,  he  can 
sit ;  his  children  do  not  ask  him  to  stand.  They  ask  to 
know  where  that  soft  voice  came  from,  and  what  it  said  ?" 

Susquesus  did  not  rise,  now,  but  he  prepared  for  a  reply. 
Mr.  Warren  was  standing  quite  near  him,  and  Mary  was 
leaning  on  his  arm.  He  signed  for  the  father  to  advance  a 
step  or  two,  in  complying  with  which,  the  parent  brought 
forth  the  unconscious  child  also. 

"  See,  my  children,"  resumed  Susquesus.  "  This  is  a 
great  medicine  of  the  pale-faces.  He  talks  always  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  and  of  his  goodness  to  men.  It  is  his  business 
to  talk  of  the  Happy  Hunting-Ground,  and  of  good  and  bad 
pale-faces.  I  cannot  tell  you  whether  he  does  any  good  or 
not.  Many  such  talk  of  these  things  constantly  among  the 
whites,  but  I  can  see  little  change,  and  I  have  lived  among 
them,  now,  more  than  eighty  winters  and  summers — yes, 


454  THE     REDSKINS. 

near  ninety.  The  land  is  changed  so  much,  that  I  hardly 
know  it ;  but  the  people  do  not  alter.  See,  there  ;  here  arc 
men — pale-faces  in  calico  bags.  Why  do  they  run  about, 
and  dishonour  the  red-man  by  calling  themselves  Injins?  I 
will  tell  you." 

There  was  now  a  decided  movement  among  the  'virtuous 
and  industrious,'  though  a  strong  desire  to  hear  the  old  man 
out,  prevented  any  violent  interruption  at  that  time.  I 
question  if  ever  men  listened  more  intently,  than  we  all  lent 
our  faculties  now,  to  ascertain  what  the  Upright  of  the  Onon- 
dagoes  thought  of  anti-rentism.  I  received  the  opinions  he 
expressed  with  the  greater  alacrity,  because  I  knew  he  was 
a  living  witness  of  most  of  what  he  related,  and  because  I 
was  clearly  of  opinion  that  he  knew  quite  as  much  of  the 
subject  as  many  who  rose  in  the  legislative  halls  to  discuss 
the  subject. 

"  These  men  are  not  warriors,"  continued  Susquesus. 
"  They  hide  their  faces  and  they  carry  rifles,  but  they  frighten 
none  but  the  squaws  and  pappooses.  When  they  take  a  scalp, 
it  is  because  they  are  a  hundred,  and  their  enemies  one. 
They  are  not  braves.  Why  do  they  come  at  all? — What 
do  they  want?  They  want  the  land  of  this  young  chief. 
My  children,  ail  the  land,  far  and  near,  was  ours.  The 
pale-faces  came  with 'their  papers,  and  made  laws,  and  said 
*  It  is  well !  We  want  this  land.  There  is  plenty  farther 
west  for  you  red-men.  Go  there,  and  hunt,  and  fish,  and 
plant  your  corn,  and  leave  us  this  land.'  Our  red  brethren 
did  as  they  were  asked  to  do.  The  pale-faces  had  it  33 
they  wished.  They  made  laws,  and  sold  the  land,  as  the 
red-men  sell  the  skins  of  beavers.  When  the  money  was 
paid,  each  pale-face  got  a  deed,  and  thought  he  owned  all 
that  he  had  paid  for.  But  the  wicked  spirit  that  drove  out 
the  red-man  is  now  about  to  drive  off  the  pale-face  chiefs. 
It  is  the  same  devil,  and  it  is  no  other.  He  wanted  land 
then,  and  he  wants  land  now.  There  is  one  difference,  and 
it  is  this.  When  the  pale-face  drove  off  the  red-man  there 
was  no  treaty  between  them.  They  had  riot  smoked  toge 
ther,  and  given  wampum,  and  signed  a  paper.  If  they  had, 
it  was  to  agree  that  the  red-man  should  go  away,  and  the 
pale-face  stay.  When  the  pale-face  drives  off  the  pale-face, 
there  is  a  treaty  ;  they  have  smoked  together,  and  given 


THE     REDSKINS.  455 

wampum,  and  signed  a  paper.  This  is  the  difference.  In 
dian  will  keep  his  word  with  Indian  ;  pale-face  will  not  keep 
his  word  with  pale-face." 

Susquesus  stopped  speaking,  and  the  eye  of  every  chief 
was  immediately,  and  for  the  first  time  that  morning,  turned 
on  the  "  disguised  and  armed"  —  the  "  virtuous  and  hard 
working."  A  slight  movement  occurred  in  the  band,  but 
no  outbreak  took  place ;  and,  in  the  midst  of  the  sensation 
that  existed,  Eaglesflight  slowly  arose.  The  nature,  dignity 
and  ease  of  his  manner  more  than  compensated  for  his  per 
sonal  appearance,  and  he  now  seemed  to  us  all  one  of  those 
by  no  means  unusual  instances  of  the  power  of  the  mind  to 
overshadow,  and  even  to  obliterate,  the  imperfections  of  the 
body.  Before  the  effect  of  what  Susquesus  had  just  said 
was  lost,  this  eloquent  and  much-practised  orator  began  his 
address.  His  utterance  was  highly  impressive,  being  so 
deliberate,  with  pauses  so  well  adjusted,  as  to  permit  Many- 
tongues  to  give  full  effect  to  each  syllable  he  translated. 

"  My  brethren,"  said  Eaglesflight,  addressing  the  Injins 
and  the  other  auditors,  rather  than  any  one  else,  "  you  have 
heard  the  words  of  age.  They  are  the  words  of  wisdom 
They  are  the  words  of  truth.  The  Upright  of  the  Onon- 
dagos  cannot  lie.  He  never  could.  The  Great  Spirit  made 
him  a  just  Indian  ;  and,  as  the  Great  Spirit  makes  an  In 
dian,  so  he  is.  My  brethren,  I  will  tell  you  his  story ;  it 
will  be  good  for  you  to  hear  it.  We  have  heard  your  story  ; 
first  from  the  interpreter,  now  from  Susquesus.  It  is  a  bad 
story.  We  were  made  sorrowful  when  we  heard  it.  What 
is  right,  should  be  done  ;  what  is  wrong,  should  not  be  done. 
There  are  bad  red-men,  and  good  red-men ;  there  are  bad 
pale-faces,  and  good  pale-faces.  The  good  red-men  and 

nd  pale-faces  do  what  is  right ;  the  bad,  what  is  wrong. 
3  the  same  with  both.     The  Great  Spirit  of  the  Indian 
and  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  white  man  are  alike;  so  are  the 
wicked  spirits.     There  is  no  difference  in  this. 

"  My  brethren,  a  red-man  knows  in  his  heart  when  he 
does  what  is  right,  and  when  he  does  what  is  wrong.  He 
does  not  want  to  be  told.  He  tells  himself.  His  face  is 
red,  and  he  cannot  change  colour.  The  paint  is  too  thick. 
When  he  tells  himself  how  much  wrong  he  has  done,  ho 


456  THE     REDSKINS. 

goes  into  the  bushes,  and  is  sorry.  When  he  comes  out,  he 
is  a  better  man. 

"  My  brethren,  it  is  different  with  a  pale-face.  He  is 
white,  and  uses  no  stones  for  paint.  When  he  tells  himself 
that  he  has  done  wrong,  his  face  can  paint  itself.  Every 
body  can  see  that  he  is  ashamed.  He  does  not  go  into  the 
bushes;  it  would  do  no  good.  He  paints  himself  so  quickly 
that  there  is  no  time.  He  hides  his  face  in  a  calico  bag. 
This  is  not  good,  but  it  is  better  than  to  be  pointed  at  with 
the  finger. 

"My  brethren,  the  Upright  of  the  Onondagoes  has  never 
run  into  the  bushes  because  he  was  ashamed.  There  has 
been  no  need  of  it.  He  has  not  told  himself  he  was  wicked 
He  has  not  put  his  face  in  a  calico  bag ;  he  cannot  paint 
himself,  like  a  pale-face. 

"  My  brethren,  listen ;  I  will  tell  you  a  story.  A  long 
time  ago  everything  was  very  different  here.  The  clearings 
were  small,  and  the  woods  large.  Then  the  red-men  were 
many,  and  the  pale-faces  few.  Now  it  is  different.  You 
know  how  it  is,  to-day. 

"  My  brethren,  I  am  talking  of  what  was  a  hundred  win 
ters  since.  We  were  not  born,  then.  Susquesus  was  then 
young,  and  strong,  and  active.  He  could  run  with  the  deer, 
and  battle  with  the  bear.  He  was  a  chief,  because  his  fa 
thers  were  chiefs  before  him.  The  Onondagoes  knew  him 
and  loved  him.  Not  a  war-path  was  opened,  that  he  was 
not  the  first  to  go  on  it.  No  other  warrior  could  count  so 
many  scalps.  No  young  chief  had  so  many  listeners  at  the 
Council-Fire.  The  Onondagoes  were  proud  that  they  had 
so  great  a  chief,  and  one  so  young.  They  thought  he  would 
live  a  long  time,  and  they  should  see  him,  and  be  proud  of 
him  for  fifty  winters  more. 

"  My  brethren,  Susquesus  has  lived  twice  fifty  winters 
longer;  but  he  has  not  lived  them  with  his  own  people. 
No;  he  has  been  a  stranger  among  the  Onondagoes  all  that 
time.  The  warriors  he  knew  are  dead.  The  wigwams 
that  he  went  into,  have  fallen  to  the  earth  with  time;  the 
graves  have  crumbled,  and  the  sons'  sons  of  his  companions 
walk  heavily  with  old  age.  Susquesus  is  there;  you  see 
him  ;  he  sees  you.  He  can  walk  ;  he  speaks  ;  he  sees  :  he 
is  a  living  tradition  !  Why  is  this  so?  —  The  Great  Spirit 


THE     REDSKINS.  457 

has  not  called  him  away.  He  is  a  just  Indian,  and  it  is 
good  that  he  be  kept  here,  that  all  red-men  may  know  how 
much  he  is  loved.  So  long  as  he  stays,  no  red-man  need 
want  a  calico  bag. 

"  My  brethren,  the  younger  days  of  Susquesus,  the 
Trackless,  were  happy.  When  he  had  seen  twenty  win 
ters,  he  was  talked  of  in  all  the  neighbouring  tribes.  The 
scalp  notches  were  a  great  many.  When  he  had  seen  thirty 
winters,  no  chief  of  the  Onondagoes  had  more  honour,  or 
more  power.  He  was  first  among  the  Onondagoes.  There 
was  but  one  fault  in  him.  He  did  not  take  a  squaw  into 
his  wigwam.  Death  comes  when  he  is  not  looked  for ;  so 
does  marriage.  At  length  my  father  became  like  other 
men,  and  wished  for  a  squaw.  It  happened  in  this  way. 

"  My  brethren,  red-men  have  laws,  as  well'  as  the  pale 
faces.  If  there  is  a  difference,  it  is  in  keeping  those  laws. 
A  law  of  the  red-men  gives  every  warrior  his  prisoners.  If 
he  bring  off  a  warrior,  he  is  his ;  if  a  squaw,  she  is  his. 
This  is  right.  He  can  take  the  scalp  of  the  warrior ;  he 
can  take  the  squaw  into  his  wigwam,  if  it  be  empty.  A 
warrior,  named  Waterfowl,  brought  in  a  captive  girl  of  the 
Delawares.  She  was  called  Ouithwith,  and  was  handsomer 
than  the  humming-bird.  The  Waterfowl  had  his  ears  open, 
and  heard  how  beautiful  she  was.  He  watched  long  to  take 
her,  and  he  did  take  her.  She  was  his,  and  he  thought  to 
take  her  into  his  wigwam  when  it  was  empty.  Three  moons 
passed,  before  that  could  be.  In  the  meantime,  Susquesus 
saw  Ouithwith,  and  Ouithwith  saw  Susquesus.  Their  eyes 
were  never  off  each  other.  He  was  the  noblest  moose  of 
the  woods,  in  her  eyes;  she  was  the  spotted-fawn,  in  his. 
He  wished  to  ask  her  to  his  wigwam ;  she  wished  to  go. 

"  My  brethren,  Susquesus  was  a  great  chief;  the  Water 
fowl  was  only  a  warrior.  One  had  power  and  authority  • 
the  other  had  neither.  But  there  is  authority  among  red- 
men  beyond  that  of  the  chief.  It  is  the  red-man's  law. 
Ouithwith  belonged  to  the  Waterfowl,  and  she  did  not  be 
long  to  Susquesus.  A  great  council  was  held,  and  men  dif 
fered.  Some  said  that  so  useful  a  chief,  so  renowned  a 
warrior  as  Susquesus,  ought  to  be  the  husband  of  Ouilhwith 
some  said  her  husband  ought  to  be  the  Waterfowl,  for  he 
had  brought  her  out  from  among  the  Delawares.  A  great 
39 


453  THE    REDSKINS. 

difficulty  arose  on  this  question,  and  the  whole  Six  Nations 
took  part  in  it.  Many  warriors  were  for  the  law,  but  most 
were  for  Susquesus.  They  loved  him,  and  thought  he  would 
make  the  best  husband  for  the  Delaware  girl.  For  six 
moons  the  quarrel  thickened,  and  a  dark  cloud  gathered 
over  the  path  that  led  among  the  tribes.  Warriors  who  had 
taken  scalps  in  company,  looked  at  each  other,  as  the  pan 
ther  looks  at  the  deer.  Some  were  ready  to  dig  up  the 
hatchet  for  the  law  ;  some  for  the  pride  of  the  Onondagoes, 
and  the  Humming-Bird  of  the  Delawares.  The  squaws  took 
sides  with  Susquesus.  Far  and  near,  they  met  to  talk  to 
gether,  and  they  even  threatened  to  light  a  Council-Fire, 
and  smoke  around  it,  like  warriors  and  chiefs. 

"Brethren,  things  could  not  stand  so  another  moon. 
Ouithwith  must  go  into  the  wigwam  of  the  Waterfowl,  or 
into  the  wigwam  of  Susquesus.  The  squaws  said  she  should 
go  into  the  wigwam  of  Susquesus ;  and  they  met  together, 
and  led  her  to  his  door.  As  she  went  along  that  path, 
Ouithwith  looked  at  her  feet  with  her  eyes,  but  her  heart 
leaped  like  the  bounding  fawn,  when  playing  in  the  sun. 
She  did  not  go  in  at  the  door.  The  Waterfowl  was  there, 
and  forbade  it.  He  had  come  alone ;  his  friends  were  but 
few,  while  the  heads  and  arms  of  the  friends  of  Susquesus 
were  as  plenty  as  the  berries  on  the  bush. 

"  My  brethren,  that  command  of  the  Waterfowl's  was 
like  a  wall  of  rock  before  the  door  of  the  Trackless's  wig 
wam.  Ouithwith  could  not  go  in.  The  eyes  of  Susquesus 
said  *  no,'  while  his  heart  said  '  yes.'  He  offered  the  Wa 
terfowl  his  rifle,  his  powder,  aU  his  skins,  his  wigwam ;  but 
Waterfowl  would  rather  have  his  prisoner,  and  answered, 
'  no.J  '  Take  my  scalp,'  he  said  ;  '  you  are  strong  and  can 
do  it ;  but  do  not  take  my  prisoner.' 

"  My  brethren,  Susquesus  then  stood  up,  in  the  midst  of 
the  tribe,  and  opened  his  mind.  <  The  Waterfowl  is  right,' 
he  said.  'She  is  his,  by  our  laws;  and  what  the  laws  of 
the  red-man  say,  the  red-man  must  do.  When  the  war 
rior  is  about  to  be  tormented,  and  he  asks  for  time  to  go 
home  and  see  his  friends,  does  he  not  come  back  at  the  day 
and  hour  agreed  on?  Shall  I,  Susquesus,  the  first  chief  of 
the  Onondagoes,  be  stronger  than  the  law?  No — my  face 
would  be  for  ever  hid  in  the  bushes,  did  that  come  to  pass. 


THE     REDSKINS.  459 

It  should  not  be  —  it  shall  not  be.  Take  her,  Waterfowl-, 
she  is  yours.  Deal  kindly  by  her,  for  she  is  as  tender  as 
the  wren  when  it  first  quits  the  nest.  I  must  go  into  the 
woods  for  a  while.  When  my  mind  is  at  peace,  Susquesus 
will  return. 

"  Brethren,  the  stillness  in  that  tribe,  while  Susquesus  was 
getting  his  rifle,  and  his  horn,  and  his  best  moccasins,  and 
his  tomahawk,  was  like  that  which  comes  in  the  darkness. 
Men  saw  him  go,  but  none  dare  follow.  He  left  no  trail, 
and  he  was  called  the  Trackless.  His  mind  was  never  at 
peace,  for  he  never  came  back.  Summer  and  winter  came 
and  went  often  before  the  Onondagoes  heard  of  him  among 
the  pale-faces.  All  that  time  the  Waterfowl  lived  with  Ouith- 
with  in  his  wigwam,  and  she  bore  him  children.  The  chief 
was  gone,  but  the  law  remained.  Go  you,  men  of  the  pale 
faces,  who  hide  your  shame  in  calico  bags,  and  do  the  same. 
Follow  the  example  of  an  Indian — be  honest,  like  the  Upright 
of  the  Onondagoes!" 

While  this  simple  narrative  was  drawing  to  a  close,  I 
could  detect  the  signs  of  great  uneasiness  among  the  leaders 
of  the  "  calico  bags."  The  biting  comparison  between 
themselves  and  their  own  course,  and  an  Indian  and  his 
justice,  was  intolerable  to  them,  for  nothing  has  more  con 
duced  to  the  abuses  connected  with  anti-rentism  than  the 
wide-spread  delusion  that  prevails  in  the  land  concerning 
the  omnipotency  of  the  masses.  The  error  is  deeply  rooted 
which  persuades  men  that  fallible  parts  can  make  an  infal 
lible  whole.  •  It  was  offensive  to  their  self-conceit,  and  me 
nacing  to  their  success.  A  murmur  ran  through  the  assem 
bly,  and  a  shout  followed.  The  Injins  rattled  their  rifles, 
most  relying  on  intimidation  to  effect  their  purpose ;  but  a  few 
seemed  influenced  by  a  worse  intention,  and  I  have  never 
doubted  that  blood  would  have  been  shed  in  the  next  minute, 
the  Indians  now  standing  to  their  arms,  had  not  the  sheriff 
of  the  county  suddenly  appeared  on  the  piazza,  with  Jack 
Dunning  at  his  elbow.  This  unexpected  apparition  produced 
a  pause,  during  which  the  *  disguised  and  armed'  fell  back 
some  twenty  yards,  and  the  ladies  rushed  into  the  house.  As 
for  my  uncle  and  myself,  we  were  as  much  astonished  as 
any  '.here  at  this  interruption. 


THE     REDSKINS 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

"  Strong  sense,  deep  feeling,  passions  strong, 
A  hate  of  tyrant  and  of  knave, 
A  love  of  right,  a  scorn  of  wrong, 
Of  coward  and  of  slave." 

Halleck's  Wild  Rose  of  Atloway 

ALTHOUGH  experience  has  shown  that  the  appearance  of 
a  sheriff  is  by  no  means  a  pledge  of  the  appearance  of  a 
friend  of  the  law  in  this  anti-rent  movement,  in  our  instance 
the  fact  happened  to  be  so.  It  was  known  to  the  '  disguised 
and  armed'  that  this  functionary  was  disposed  to  do  his  duty.* 
One  of  the  rank  absurdities  into  which  democracy  has  fallen, 
and  democracy  is  no  more  infallible  than  individual  demo 
crats,  has  been  to  make  the  officers  of  the  militia,  and  the 
sheriffs  of  counties,  elective.  The  consequences  are,  that 
the  militia  is  converted  into  a  farce,  and  the  execution  of  the 
laws  in  a  particular  county  is  very  much  dependent  on  the 
pleasure  of  that  county  to  have  them  executed  or  not.  The 
!ast  is  a  capital  arrangement  for  the  resident  debtor,  for  in 
stance,  though  absent  creditors  are  somewhat  disposed  to 
find  fault.  But  all  this  is  of  no  great  moment,  since  the 
theories  for  laws  and  governments  in  vogue  just  now  are  of 
such  a  character  as  would  render  laws  and  governments 
quite  unnecessary  at  all,  were  they  founded  in  truth.  Re- 

*  The  editor  may  as  well  say  here,  that,  for  obvious  reasons,  the 
names,  counties,  &c.,  used  in  these  manuscripts  are  feigned,  the  rea* 
localities  being  close  enough  to  those  mentioned  for  the  double  pur- 
poses  of  truth  and  fiction.  As  one  of  the  "  honourable  gentlemen"  of 
the  Legislature  has  quoted  our  references  to  'provincial'  feelings  and 
notions,  with  a  magnificence  that  proves  how  thoroughly  he  is  a  man 
of  the  world  himself,  we  will  tell  all  the  rest  of  the  human  race,  who 
may  happen  to  read  tkis  book,  that  we  have  made  this  explanation  lest 
that  comprehensive  view  of  things,  which  has  hitherto  been  so  eager, 
because  a  street  and  a  house  are  named  in  the  pages  of  a  fiction,  to 
suppose  that  everybody  is  to  believe  they  know  the  Terj  individual  who 
dwelt  in  it,  should  fancy  that  our  allusions  are  to  this  or  that  particuU* 
functionary. — EDITOH. 


THE     REDSKINS.  46 

stramts  of  all  kinds  can  only  be  injurious  when  they  are  im- 
posed  on  perfection ! 

The  instant  the  commotion  commenced,  and  the  ladies 
fled,  I  took  Seneca  and  his  fellow-prisoner  by  the  arm,  and 
led  them  into  the  library.  This  I  did,  conceiving  it  to  be 
unfair  to  keep  prisoners  in  a  situation  of  danger.  This  1 
did,  too,  without  reflecting  in  the  least  on  anything  but  the 
character  of  the  act.  Returning  to  the  piazza  immediately, 
I  was  not  missed,  and  was  a  witness  of  all  that  passed. 

As  has  been  intimated,  this  particular  sheriff  was  known 
to  be  unfavourable  to  the  anti-rent  movement,  and,  no  one 
supposing  he  would  appear  in  their  midst  unsupported,  in  such 
a  scene,  the  Injins  fell  back,  thus  arresting  the  danger  of  an 
immediate  collision.  It  has  since  been  privately  intimated 
to  me,  that  some  among  them,  after  hearing  the  narrative  of 
Eaglesflight,  really  felt  ashamed  that  a  red-skin  should  have 
a  more  lively  sense  of  justice  than  a  white  man.  Whatever 
may  be  said  of  the  hardships  of  the  tenants,  and  of"  poodlo 
usages,"  and  of  *  aristocracy,'  and  *  fat  hens,'  by  the  leaders 
in  this  matter,  it  by  no  means  follows  that  those  leaders  be 
lieve  in  their  own  theories  and  arguments.  On  the  contrary, 
it  is  generally  the  case  with  such  men,  that  they  keep  them 
selves  quite  free  from  the  excitement  that  it  is  their  business 
to  awaken  in  others,  resembling  the  celebrated  John  Wilkes, 
who  gravely  said  to  George  III.,  in  describing  the  character 
of  .a  former  co-operator  in  agitation,  "  He  was  a  Wilksite, 
sir  ;  /  never  was." 

The  unexpected  appearance  of  Dunning,  the  offending 
agent,  too,  was  not  without  its  effect,  —  for  they  who  were 
behind  the  curtains  found  it  difficult  to  believe  that  he  would 
dare  to  show  himself  at  Ravensnest  without  a  sufficient  sup 
port.  Those  who  thought  thus,  however,  did  not  know 
Jack  Dunning.  He  had  a  natural  and  judicious  aversion 
to  being  tarred  and  feathered,  it  is  true ;  but,  when  it  was 
necessary  to  expose  himself,  no  man  did  it  more  freely.  Tho 
explanation  of  his  unlooked-for  arrival  is  simply  this. 

Uneasy  at  our  manner  of  visiting  Ravensnest,  this  trust 
worthy  friend,  after  the  delay  of  a  day  or  two,  determined 
to  follow  us.  On  reaching  the  county  he  heard  of  the  firing 
of  the  barn,  and  of  the  attempt  on  the  house,  and  went  in 
quest  of  the  sheriff  without  a  moment's  delay.  As  the  ob 
39* 


462  THE     REDSKINS. 

ject  of  Dunning  was  to  get  the  ladies  out  of  the  lion's  den 
he  did  not  wait  for  the  summoning  of  the  posse  comitatus; 
but,  hiring  a  dozen  resolute  fellows,  they  were  armed,  and 
all  set  out  in  a  body  for  the  Nest.  When  within  a  mile  or 
two  of  the  house,  the  rumour  reached  the  party  that  we 
were  besieged ;  and  it  became  expedient  to  have  recourse  to 
some  manoeuvring,  in  order  to  throw  succour  into  the  gar 
rison.  Dunning  was  familiar  with  all  the  windings  and 
turnings  of  the  place,  having  passed  many  a  month  at  the 
Nest  with  my  uncle  and  father,  both  as  man  and  boy ,  and 
he  knew  the  exact  situation  of  the  cliff,  court,  and  of  the 
various  peculiar  features  of  the  place.  Among  other  arrange 
ments  that  had  been  made  of  late  years,  a  door  had  been 
opened  at  the  end  of  the  long  gallery  which  led  through  one 
of  the  wings,  and  a  flight  of  steps  been  built  against  the 
rocks,  by  means  of  which  certain  paths  and  walks  that 
meandered  through  the  meadows  and  followed  the  windings 
of  the  stream  might  be  reached.  Dunning  determined  to 
attempt  an  ascent  from  this  quarter,  trusting  to  making  him 
self  heard  by  some  one  within,  should  he  find  the  door  fast 
ened.  Everything  succeeded  to  his  wishes,  —  the  cook, 
alone,  of  all  the  household,  being  at  her  post  in  the  other 
wing,  and  seeing  him  the  instant  he  presented  himself  on 
the  upper  part  of  the  steps.  Jack  Dunning's  face  was  so 
well  known  at  the  Nest,  that  the  good  woman  did  not  hesi 
tate  a  moment  about  admitting  him,  and  he  thus  penetrated 
into  the  buildings,  followed  by  all  his  party.  The  last  he 
kept  concealed  by  sending  them  into  the  chambers,  while 
he  and  the  sheriff  drew  near  the  door,  and  heard  most  of 
the  speech  of  Eaglesflight,  the  attention  of  everybody  being 
given  to  the  narrative.  The  reader  knows  the  rest. 

I  might  as  well  say  at  once,  however,  that  Opportunity, 
who,  by  her  position,  had  seen  the  entrance  of  Dunning 
and  his  party,  no  sooner  found  herself  alone  with  the  pri 
soners,  than  she  unbound  them,  and  showed  them  the  means 
of  flight,  by  the  same  passage,  door  and  steps.  At  least, 
suoh  has  been  my  supposition,  for  the  sister  has  never  been 
questioned  on  the  subject.  Seneca  and  his  co-rascal  va 
nished,  and  have  not  since  been  seen  in  our  part  of  the 
country.  In  consequence  of  the  flight,  no  one  has  ever 
complained  ofeither  for  arson.  The  murder  of  Steele,  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  463 

deputy-sheriff  of  Delaware,  has  given  a  check  to  the  *  Injin' 
system,  and  awakened  a  feeling  in  the  country  that  was  not 
to  be  resisted,  in  that  form  at  least,  by  men  engaged  in  a 
scheme  so  utterly  opposed  to  the  first  principles  of  honesty 
as  anti-rentism. 

When  I  regained  the  piazza,  after  thrusting  Seneca  into 
the  library,  the  Injins  had  fallen  back  to  the  distance  of 
twenty  or  thirty  yards  from  the  piazza,  in  evident  con 
fusion  ;  while  the  Indians,  cool  and  collected,  stood  to  their 
arms,  watchful  as  crouching  panthers,  but  held  in  hand  by  the 
calmness  with  which  their  leaders  watched  the  progress  of 
events.  The  sheriff  now  required  the  first  to  disperse,  as 
violaters  of  the  law  ;  with  the  penalties  of  which  he  menaced 
them,  in  a  voice  sufficiently  clear  and  distinct  to  make  itself 
audible.  There  was  a  moment  during  which  the  Injins 
seemed  undecided.  They  had  come  with  the  full  intent  to 
inflict  on  my  uncle  and  myself  the  punishment  of  the  tar- 
bucket,  with  the  hope  of  frightening  us  into  some  sort  of  a 
compromise ;  the  cowardly  expedient  of  a  hundred  men's 
attacking  and  annoying  one  being  particularly  in  favour 
with  a  certain  class  of  those  ultra-friends  of  liberty,  who 
fancy  that  they  alone  possess  all  the  public  virtue  of  the 
nation,  which  public  virtue  justifies  any  of  their  acts.  All 
of  a  sudden,  the  entire  body  of  these  virtuous  citizens,  who 
found  it  necessary  to  hide  their  blushes  beneath  calico,  fell 
rapidly  back  ;  observing  a  little  order  at  first,  which  soon 
degenerated,  however,  into  confusion,  and  shortly  after  into 
a  downright,  scampering  flight.  The  fact  was,  that  Dun- 
ning's  men  began  to  show  themselves  at  the  windows  of 
the  chambers,  thrusting  muskets  and  rifles  out  before  them, 
and  the  *  disguised  and  armed,'  as  has  invariably  been  the 
case  in  the  anti-rent  disturbances,  exhibited  a  surprising 
facility  at  the  retreat.  If  he  is  'thrice-armed  who  hath  his 
quarrel  just,'  ten  times  is  he  a  coward  who  hath  his  quarrel 
unjust.  This  is  the  simple  solution  of  the  cowardice  that 
has  been  so  generally  shown  by  those  who  have  been  en. 
gaged  in  this  '  Injin'  warfare;  causing  twenty  to  chase  one, 
secret  attempts  on  the  lives  of  sentinels,  and  all  the  other 
violations  of  manly  feeling  that  have  disgraced  the  proceed 
ings  of  the  heroes. 

As  soon  as  released  from  all  immediate  apprehension  or. 


464  THE     REDSKINS. 

the  score  of  the  Injins,  we  had  time  to  attend  to  the  Indians. 
These  warriors  gazed  after  those  who  were  caricaturing 
their  habits,  and  most  of  all  their  spirit,  with  silent  con^ 
tempt;  and  Prairiefire,  who  spoke  a  little  English,  said  to  me 
with  emphasis,  "  Poor  Irijin — poor  tribe — run  away  from 
own  whoop  !"  This  was  positively  every  syllable  the  men 
of  the  prairies  deigned  to  bestow  on  these  disturbers  of  tho 
public  peace,  the  agents  of  covetousness,  who  prowl  about 
at  night,  like  wolves,  ready  to  seize  the  stray  lamb,  but  are 
quick  to  sneak  off  at  the  growl  of  the  mastiff.  One  can 
not  express  himself  in  terms  too  harsh  of  such  wretches, 
who  in  no  instance  have  manifested  a  solitary  spark  of  the 
true  spirit  of  freemen;  having  invariably  quailed  before 
authority  when  that  authority  has  assumed  in  the  least  the 
aspect  of  its  power,  and  as  invariably  trampled  it  under  foot, 
whenever  numbers  put  danger  out  of  the  question. 

Old  Susquesus  had  been  a  quiet  observer  of  all  that 
passed.  He  knew  the  nature  of  the  disturbance,  and  under 
stood  everything  material  that  was  connected  with  the  out 
breaks.  As  soon  as  order  was  restored  on  the  piazza,  he 
rose  once  more  to  address  his  guests. 

"  My  children,"  he  said,  solemnly,  "  you  hear  my  voice 
for  the  last  time.  Even  the  wren  cannot  sing  for  ever. 
The  very  eagle's  wing  gets  tired  in  time.  I  shall  soon  cease 
to  speak.  When  I  reach  the  happy  hunting-grounds  ef  the 
Onondagoes,  I  will  tell  the  warriors  I  meet  there  of  your 
visit.  Your  fathers  shall  know  that  their  sons  still  love 
justice.  Let  the  pale-faces  sign  papers,  and  laugh  at  them 
afterwards.  The  promise  of  a  red-man  is  his  law.  If  he  is 
made  a  prisoner,  and  his  conquerors  wish  to  torment  him, 
they  are  too  generous  to  do  so  without  letting  him  go  to  his 
tribe  to  take  leave  of  his  friends.  When  the  time  is  reached, 
he  comes  back.  If  he  promises  skins,  he  brings  them, 
though  no  law  can  follow  into  the  woods  to  force  him  to  do 
so.  His  promise  goes  with  him ;  his  promise  is  stronger 
than  chains — it  brings ^him  back. 

"  My  children,  never  forget  this.  You  are  not  pale-faces, 
to  say  one  thing  and  do  another.  What  you  say,  you  do. 
When  you  make  a  law,  you  keep  it.  This  is  right.  No 
red-man  wants  another's  wigwam.  If  he  wants  a  wigwam, 
he  builds  one  himself.  It  is  not  so  with  tho  pale-faces. 


THE     REDSKINS.  465 

The  man  who  has  no  wigwam  tries  to  get  away  his  neigh 
bour's.  While  he  does  this,  he  reads  in  his  bible  and  goes 
to  his  church.  I  have  sometimes  thought,  the  more  he  reads 
and  prays,  the  more  he  tries  to  get  into  his  neighbour's  wig' 
warn.  So  it  seems  to  an  Indian,  but  it  may  not  be  so. 

"  My  children,  the  red-man  is  his  own  master.  He  goes 
and  comes  as  he  pleases.  If  the  young  men  strike  the  war- 
path,  he  can  strike  it,  too.  He  can  go  on  the  war-path,  or 
the  hunt,  or  he  can  stay  in  his  wigwam.  All  he  has  to  do, 
is  to  keep  his  promise,  not  steal,  and  not  to  go  into  another 
red-man's  wigwam  unasked.  He  is  his  own  master.  He 
does  not  say  so;  he  is  so.  How  is  it  with  the  pale-faces? 
They  say  they  are  free  when  the  sun  rises ;  they  say  they 
are  free  when  the  sun  is  over  their  heads;  they  say  they 
are  free  when  the  sun  goes  down  behind  the  hills.  They 
never  stop  talking  of  their  being  their  own  masters.  They 
talk  of  that  more  than  they  read  their  bibles.  I  have  lived 
near  a  hundred  winters  among  them,  and  know  what  they 
are.  They  do  that ;  then  they  take  away  another's  wig 
wam.  They  talk  of  liberty ;  then  they  say  you  shall  have 
this  farm,  you  shan't  have  that.  They,  talk  of  liberty,  and 
call  to  one  another  to  put  on  calico  bags,  that  fifty  men  may 
tar  and  feather  one.  They  talk  of  liberty,  and  want  every 
thing  their  own  way. 

"  My  children,  these  pale-faces  might  go  back  with  you 
to  the  prairies,  and  learn  to  do  what  is  right.  I  do  not 
wonder  they  hide  their  faces  in  bags.  They  feel  ashamed ; 
they  ought  to  feel  ashamed. 

"  My  children,  this  is  the  last  time  you  will  hear  my  voice. 
The  tongue  of  an  old  man  cannot  move  for  ever.  This  is 
my  counsel :  do  what  is  right.  The  Great  Spirit  will  tell 
you  what  that  is.  Let  it  be  done.  What  my  son  said  of 
me  is  true.  It  was  hard  to  do  ;  the  feelings  yearned  to  do 
otherwise,  but  it  was  not  done.  In  a  little  time  peace  came 
on  my  spirit,  and  I  was  glad.  I  could  not  go  back  to  live 
among  my  people,  for  I  was  afraid  of  doing  what  was 
wrong.  I  staid  among  the  pale-faces,  and  made  friends  here. 
My  children,  farewell ;  do  what  is  right,  and  you  will  be 
happier  than  the  richest  pale-face  who  does  what  is  wrong." 

Susquesus  took  his  seat,  and  at  the  same  time  each  of  tho 
redskins  advanced  and  shook  his  hand.  The  Indians  make 


466  THE     REDSKINS. 

few  professions,  but  let  their  acts  speak  for  them.  Not  a 
syllable  was  uttered  by  one  of  those  rude  warriors  as  ho 
took  his  leave  of  Susquesus.  Each  man  had  willingly  paid 
this  tribute  to  one  whose  justice  and  self-denial  were  cele 
brated  in  their  traditions,  and  having  paid  it,  he  went  his 
way  satisfied,  if  not  altogether  happy.  Each  man  shook 
hands,  too,  with  all  on  the  piazza,  and  to  us  they  expressed 
their  thanks  for  their  kind  treatment.  My  uncle  Ro  had 
distributed  the  remains  of  his  trinkets  among  them,  and  they 
left  us  with  the  most  amicable  feelings.  Still  there  was 
nothing  dramatic  in  their  departure.  It  was  simple  as 
their  arrival.  They  had  come  to  see  the  Upright  of  the 
Onondagoes,  had  fulfilled  their  mission,  and  were  ready  to 
depart.  Depart  they  did,  and  as  I  saw  their  line  winding 
along  the  highway,  the  episode  of  such  a  visit  appeared  to  us 
all  more  like  a  dream  than  reality.  No  interruption  occurred 
to  the  return  of  these  men,  and  half  an  hour  after  they  had 
left  the  piazza  we  saw  them  winding  their  way  up  the  hill, 
descending  which  we  had  first  seen  them. 

"  Well,  Hodge,"  said  Jack  Dunning,  two  or  three  hours 
later,  "  what  is  your,  decision ;  will  you  remain  here,  or  will 
you  go  to  your  own  place  in  Westchester." 

"  I  will  remain  here  until  it  is  our  pleasure  to  depart ; 
*.hen  we  will  endeavour  to  be  as  free  as  Indians,  and  go 
where  we  please,  provided  always  we  do  not  go  into  our 
neighbour's  wigwam  against  his  will." 

Jack  Dunning  smiled,  and  he  paced  the  library  once  or 
twice  before  he  resumed. 

"  They  told  me,  as  soon  as  I  got  into  the  county,  that 
you,  and  all  belonging  to  you,  were  preparing  to  retreat  tho 
morning  after  the  attempt  to  fire  your  house." 

"  One  of  those  amiable  perversions  of  the  truth  that  so 
much  embellish  the  morality  of  the  whole  affair.  What 
men  wish,  they  fancy,  and  what  they  fancy,  they  say.  The 
girls,  even,  protest  they  would  not  quit  the  house  while  it 
has  a  roof  to  cover  their  heads.  But,  Jack,  whence  comes 
this  spirit  ?" 

"  I  should  think  that  was  the  last  question  a  reasonably 
informed  man  need  ask,"  answered  Dunning,  laughing.  "It 
is  very  plain  where  it  comes  from. — It  comes  from  the  devil 
and  has  every  one  of  the  characteristics  of  his  han  lywork 


THE     REDSKINS.  467 

In  the  first  place,  love  of  money,  or  covetousness,  is  at  its 
root.  Then  lies  are  its  agents.  Its  first  and  most  pre 
tending  lie  is  that  of  liberty,  every  principle  of  which  it 
tramples  under  foot.  Then  come  in  the  fifty  auxiliaries  in 
the  way  of  smaller  inventions,  denying  the  facts  of  the 
original  settlement  of  the  country,  fabricating  statements 
concerning  its  progress,  and  asserting  directly  in  the  teeth 
of  truth,  such  statements  as  it  is  supposed  will  serve  a  turn.* 
There  can  be  no  mistaking  the  origin  of  such  contrivances, 
or  all  that  has  been  taught  us  of  good  and  evil  is  a  fiction. 
Really,  Hodge,  I  am  astonished  that  so  sensible  a  man  should 
have  asked  the  question." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,  Jack ;  but  to  what  will  it  lead  ?" 
"Ay,  that  is  not  so  easily  answered.  The  recent  events 
in  Delaware  have  aroused  the  better  feelings  of  the  country, 
and  there  is  no  telling  what  it  may  do.  One  thing,  how 
ever,  I  hold  to  be  certain  ;  the  spirit  connected  with  this 
affair  must  be  put  down,  thoroughly,  effectually,  completely, 
or  we  are  lost.  Let  it  once  be  understood,  in  the  country, 
that  men  can  control  their  own  indebtedness,  and  fashion 
contracts  to  suit  their  own  purposes,  by  combinations  and 
numbers,  and  pandemonium  would  soon  be  a  paradise  com- 

*  The  frightful  propensity  to  effect  its  purposes  by  lying,  has  come 
to  such  a  head  in  the  country,  as  seriously  to  threaten  the  subversion 
of  all  justice.  Without  adverting  to  general  facts,  two  circumstances 
directly  connected  with  this  anti-rent  question,  force  themselves  on  my 
attention.  They  refer  to  large  estates  that  were  inherited  by  an 
Englishman,  who  passed  half  of  a  long  life  in  the  country.  In  public 
legislative  documents  it  has  been  pretended  that  the  question  of  his 
title  to  his  estates  is  still  open,  when  the  published  reports  of  the 
highest  court  of  the  country  show  that  a  decision  was  made  in 
his  favour  thirty  years  since;  and,  in  reference  to  his  heir,  it  has 
been  officially  stated  that  he  has  invariably  refused  to  give  any  leases 
but  such  as  run  on  lives.  Now,  it  is  of  little  moment  whether  this 
be  true  or  not,  since  the  law  allows  every  man  to  do  as  he  may 
please  in  this  respect.  But  the  fact,  as  I  understand  from  the  agent 
who  draws  the  leases,  is  precisely  the  reverse  of  that  which  has  been 
openly  stated  in  this  legislative  document;  THE  PRESENT  POSSESSOR 

OP  THE  ESTATE  IN  QUESTION,  HAYINO  BEEN  EARNESTLY  SOLICITED 
BT  THE  TENANTS  TO  GRANT  NEW  LEASES  ON  LIVES,  AND  ABSOLUTELY 

REFUSED  TO  COMPLY  !  In  this  instance  the  Legislature,  doubtless, 
nave  been  deceived  by  the  interested  representations  of  anti-renters,— 
EDITOR. 


438  THE     REDSKINS. 

pared  to  New  York.  There  is  not  a  single  just  ground  of 
complaint  in  the  nature  of  any  of  these  leases,  whatevel 
hardships  may  exist  in  particular  cases ;  but,  admitting  that 
there  were  false  principles  of  social  life,  embodied  in  the  re 
lation  of  landlord  and  tenant,  as  it  exists  among  us,  it  would 
be  a  far  greater  evil  to  attempt  a  reform  under  such  a 
combination,  than  to  endure  the  original  wrong" 

"  I  suppose  these  gentry  fancy  themselves  strong  enough 
to  thrust  their  interests  into  politics,  and  hope  to  succeed  by 
that  process.  But  anti-masonry,  and  various  other  schemes 
of  that  sort  have  failed,  hitherto,  and  this  may  fail  along 
with  it.  That  is  a  redeeming  feature  of  the  institutions, 
Jack ;  you  may  humbug  for  a  time,  but  the  humbuggery  is 
not  apt  to  last  for  ever.  It  is  only  to  be  regretted  that  the 
really  upright  portion  of  the  community  are  so  long  in 
making  themselves  felt;  would  they  only  be  one-half  as 
active  as  the  miscreants,  we  should  get  along  well  enough." 

"  The  result  is  unknown.  The  thing  may  be  put  down, 
totally,  effectually,  and  in  a  way  to  kill  the  snake,  not  scotch 
it;  or  it  may  be  met  with  only  half-way  measures;  in  which 
case  it  will  remain  like  a  disease  in  the  human  system, 
always  existing,  always  menacing  relapses,  quite  possibly  to- 
be  the  agent  of  the  final  destruction  of  the  body." 

My  uncle,  nevertheless,  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  did 
remain  in  the  county,  where  he  is  yet.  Our  establishment 
has  received  another  reinforcement,  however,  and  a  change 
occurred,  shortly  after  our  visit  from  the  Injins,  in  the  policy 
of  the  anti-renters,  the  two  giving  us  a  feeling  of  security 
that  might  otherwise  have  been  wanting.  The  reinforce 
ment  came  from  certain  young  men,  who  have  found  their 
way  across  from  the  springs,  and  become  guests  at  the  Nest. 
They  are  all  old  acquaintances  of  mine,  most  of  them  school 
fellows,  and  also  admirers  of  the  young  ladies.  Each  of  my 
uncle's  wards,  the  Coldbrooke  and  the  Marston,  has  an  ac 
cepted  lover,  as  we  now  discovered,  chcumstances  that  have 
left  me  unobstructed  in  pursuing  my  suit  with  Mary  Warren. 
I  have  found  Patt  a  capital  ally,  for  she  loves  the  dear  girl 
almost  as  much  as  I  do  myself,  and  has  been  of  great  service 
in  the  affair.  I  am  conditionally  accepted,  though  Mr.  War 
ren's  consent  has  not  been  asked.  Indeed,  I  much  question 
if  tne  good  rector  has  the  least  suspicion  of  what  is  in  the 


THE     REDSKINS.  469 

wind.  As  for  my  uncle  Ro,  he  knew  all  about  it,  though  I 
have  never  breathed  a  syllable  to  him  on  the  subject.  For- 
tunately,  he  is  well  satisfied  with  the  choice  made  by  his  two 
wards,  and  this  has  somewhat  mitigated  the  disappointment. 

My  uncle  Ro  is  not  in  the  least  mercenary ;  and  the  cir 
cumstance  that  Mary  Warren  has  not  a  cent,  gives  him  no 
concern.  He  is,  indeed,  so  rich  himself  that  he  knows  it  is 
in  his  power  to  make  any  reasonable  addition  to  my  means, 
and,  if  necessary,  to  place  me  above  the  dangers  of  anti- 
rentism.  The  following  is  a  specimen  of  his  humour,  and 
of  his  manner  of  doing  things  when  the  humour  takes  him. 
We  were  in  the  library  one  morning,  about  a  week  after  the 
Injins  were  shamed  out  of  the  field  by  the  Indians,  for  that 
was  the  secret  of  their  final  disappearance  from  our  part  of 
the  country ;  but,  one  morning,  about  a  week  after  their  last 
visit,  my  grandmother,  my  uncle,  Patt  and  I  were  seated  in 
the  library,  chatting  over  matters  and  things,  when  my 
uncle  suddenly  exclaimed  — 

"  By  the  way,  Hugh,  I  have  a  piece  of  important  news  to 
communicate  to  you ;  news  affecting  your  interests  to  the 
tune  of  fifty  thousand  dollars." 

"  No  more  anti-rent  dangers,  I  hope,  Roger  ?"  said  my 
grandmother,  anxiously. 

"  Hugh  has  little  to  apprehend  from  that  source,  just  now. 
The  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  is  his  buckler,  and 
it  is  broad  enough  to  cover  his  whole  body.  As  for  his  fu 
ture  leases,  if  he  will  take  my  advice,  he  will  not  grant  one 
for  a  term  longer  than  five  years,  and  then  his  tenants  will 
become  clamorous  petitioners  to  the  legislature  to  allow  them 
to  make  Iheir  own  bargains.  Shame  will  probably  bring 
your  free-trade-men  round,  and  the  time  will  come  when 
your  double-distilled  friends  of  liberty  will  begin  to  see  it  is 
a  very  indifferent  sort  of  freedom  which  will  not  permit  a 
wealthy  landlord  to  part  with  his  farms  for  a  long  period,  or 
a  poor  husbandman  to  make  the  best  bargain  in  his  power. 
No,  no ;  Hugh  has  nothing  serious  to  apprehend,  just  now 
at  least,  from  that  source,  whatever  may  come  of  it  here 
after.  The  loss  to  which  I  allude  is  much  more  certain,  and 
to  the  tune  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  I  repeat." 

"  That  is  a  good  deal  of  money  for  me  to  lose,  sir,"  I 
answered,  but  little  disturbed  by  the  intelligence ;  '  and  ft 
40 


470  THE    REDSKINS. 

might  embarrass  me  lo  raise  so  large  a  sum  in  a  hurry 
Nevertheless,  I  confess  to  no  very  great  concern  on  the 
subject,  notwithstanding  your  announcement.  I  hafe  no 
debts,  and  the  title  to  all  I  possess  is  indisputable,  unless  it 
shall  be  decided  that  a  royal  grant  is  not  to  be  tolerated  by 
republicans." 

"  All  very  fine,  Master  Hugh,  but  you  forget  that  you  are 
die  natural  heir  of  my  estate.  Patt  knows  that  she  is  to 
have  a  slice  of  it  when  she  marries,  and  I  am  now  about  to 
make  a  settlement  of  just  as  much  more  on  another  young 
lady,  by  way  of  marriage  portion." 

"  Roger !"  exclaimed  my  grandmother,  "  you  surely  do 
not  mean  what  you  say !  Of  as  much  more  !" 

"  Of  precisely  that  money,  my  dear  mother.  I  have 
taken  a  fancy  to  a  young  lady,  and  as  I  cannot  marry  her 
myself,  I  am  determined  to  make  her  a  good  match,  so  far 
as  money  is  concerned,  for  some  one  else." 

"  But  why  not  marry  her  yourself?"  I  asked.  "  Older 
men  than  yourself  marry  every  day." 

"Ay,  widowers,  I  grant. you;  they  will  marry  until  they 
are  a  thousand ;  but  it  is  not  so  with  us  bachelors.  Let  a 
man  once  get  fairly  past  forty,  and  it  is  no  easy  matter  to 
bring  him  to  the  sacrifice.  No,  Jack  Dunning's  being  here 
is  the  most  fortunate  thing  in  the  world,  and  so  I  have  set 
him  at  work  to  draw  up  a  settlement  on  the  young  lady  to 
whom  I  refer,  without  any  rights  to  her  future  husband,  let 
him  turn  out  to  be  whom  he  may." 

"  It  is  Mary  Warren !"  exclaimed  my  sister,  in  a  tone  of 
delight. 

My  uncle  smiled,  and  he  tried  to  look  demure ;  but  I  can 
not  say  that  he  succeeded  particularly  well. 

"  It  is — it  is — it  is  Mary  Warren,  and  uncle  Ro  means  to 
give  her  a  fortune  !"  added  Patt,  bounding  across  the  floor 
like  a  young  deer,  throwing  herself  into  her  guardian's  lap, 
hugging  and  kissing  him,  as  if  she  were  nothing  but  a  child, 
though  a  fine  young  woman  of  nineteen.  "  Yes,  it  is  Mary 
Warren,  and  uncle  Hodge  is  a  delightful  old  gentleman  — 
no,  a  delightful  young  gentleman,  and  were  he  only  thirty 
years  younger  he  should  have  his  own  heiress  for  a  wife 
Good,  dear,  generous,  sensible  uncle  Ro. — This 


THE     REDSKINS.  471 

is  so  like  him,  after  all  his  disappointment;  for  I  know, 
Hugh,  his  heart  was  set  on  your  marrying  Henrietta." 

"And  what  has  my  marrying,  or  not  marrying  Henrietta, 
to  do  with  this  settlement  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  on  Miss 
Warren  1  The  young  ladies  are  not  even  connected,  I  be 
lieve." 

"  Oh !  you  know  how  all  such  things  are  managed,"  said 
Patt,  blushing  and  laughing  at  the  passing  allusion  to 
matrimony,  even  in  another ;  "  Mary  Warren  will  not  bo 
Mary  Warren  always." 

"  Who  will  she  be,  then  ?"  demanded  uncle  Ro,  quickly. 

But  Patt  was  too  true  to  the  rights  and  privileges  of  her 
sex  to  say  anything  directly  that  might  seem  to  commit  her 
friend.  She  patted  her  uncle's  cheek,  therefore,  like  a  saucy 
minx  as  she  was,  coloured  still  higher,  looked  archly  at 
me,  then  averted  her  eyes  consciously,  as  if  betraying  a  se 
cret,  and  returned  to  her  seat  as  demurely  as  if  the  subject 
had  been  one  of  the  gravest  character. 

"  But  are  you  serious  in  what  you  have  told  us,  Roger  ?" 
asked  my  grandmother,  with  more  interest  than  I  supposed 
the  dear  old  lady  would  be  apt  to  feel  on  such  a  subject. 
"  Is  not  this  settlement  a  matter  of  fancy  ?" 

"  True  as  the  gospel,  my  dear  mother." 

"  And  is  Martha  right  ?    Is  Mary  Warren  really  the  fa 
voured  young  lady  ?" 

"  For  a  novelty,  Patt  is  right." 

"  Does  Mary  Warren  know  of  your  intention,  or  has  her 
father  been  consulted  in  the  matter  ?" 

"Both  know  of  it;  we  had  it  all  over  together,  last  eve. 
ning,  and  Mr.  Warren  consents." 

"  To  what  ?"  I  cried,  springing  to  my  feet,  the  emphasis 
on  the  last  word  being  too  significant  to  be  overlooked. 

"  To  receive  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage,  which  is  my  own 
name,  recollect,  for  a  son-in-law ;  and  what  is  more,  the 
young  lady  *  is  agreeable.'  " 

"  We  all  know  that  she  is  more  than  agreeable,"  put  in 
Patt ;  "  she  is  delightful,  excellent ;  agreeable  is  no  word  to 
apply  to  Mary  Warren." 

"  Pshaw,  girl !  .  If  you  had  travelled,  now,  you  would 
know  that  this  expression  is  cockney  English  for  agreeing  to 
a  thing.  Mary  Warren  agrees  to  become  the  wife  of  Hugh 


472  THE     REDSKINS. 

Roger  Littlepage,  and  I  settle  fifty  thousand  dollars  on  her 
in  considbration  of  matrimony."  " 

"  This  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage,"  cried  Patt,  throwing  an 
arm  around  my  neck ;  "  not  that  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage. 
Do  but  add  that,  dearest,  dearest  uncle,  and  I  will  kiss  you 
for  an  hour." 

"  Excuse  me,  my  child ;  a  fourth  of  that  time  would  bo 
as  much  as  I  could  reasonably  expect.  I  believe  you  are 
right,  however,  as  I  do  not  remember  that  this  Hugh  Roger 
had  any  connection  with  the  affair,  unless  it  were  to  give 
his  money.  I  shall  deny  none  of  your  imputations." 

Just  as  this  was  said,  the  door  of  the  library  was  slowly 
opened,  and  Mary  Warren  appeared.  The  moment  she 
saw  who  composed  our  party,  she  would  have  drawn  back, 
but  my  grandmother  kindly  bade  her  "  come  in." 

"  I  was  afraid  of  disturbing  a  family  party,  ma'am,"  Mary 
timidly  answered. 

Patt  darted  forward,  threw  her  arm  around  Mary's  waist, 
and  drew  her  into  the  room,  closing  and  locking  the  door. 
All  this  was  done  in  a  way  to  attract  attention,  and  as  if  the 
young  lady  wished  to  attract  attention.  We  all  smiled  but 
Mary,  who  seemed  half  pleased,  half  frightened. 

"  It  is  a  family  party,"  cried  Patt,  kissing  her  affianced 
sister,  "  and  no  one  else  shall  be  admitted  to  it,  unless  good 
Mr.  Warren  come  to  claim  his  place.  Uncle  Ro  has  told  us 
all  about  it,  and  we  know  all." 

Mary  hid  her  face  in  Patt's  bosom,  but  it  was  soon  drawn 
out  by  my  dear  grandmother  to  kiss  it ;  then  my  uncle  had  his 
turn,  and  Patt  her's.  After  this,  the  whole  party,  except 
Mary  and  I,  slid  out  of  the  room,  and  —  yes,  and  then  it 
was  my  turn. 

We  are  not  yet  married,  but  the  day  is  named.  The 
same  is  true  with  respect  to  the  two  wards,  and  even  Patt 
blushes,  and  my  grandmother  smiles,  occasionally,  when 
gentlemen  who  are  travelling  in  Egypt  just  now,  are  named. 
The  last  letters  from  young  Beekman,  they  tell  me,  say  that 
he  was  then  there.  The  three  marriages  are  to  take  place 
in  St.  Andrew's  church,  Mr.  Warren  being  engaged  to  offi 
ciate. 

The  reader  will  be  surprised  to  hear  two  things.  My  en- 
gagement  with  the  daughter  of  a  poor  clergyman  has  pro- 


THE     REDSKINS.  473 

duced  great  scandal  among  the  anti-renters,  they  v.rho  so 
loudly  decry  aristocracy  !  The  objection  is  that  the  match 
is  not  equal !  That  equality  which  is  the  consequence  of 
social  position,  connections,  education  and  similarity  of 
habits,  thoughts,  and,  if  you  will,  prejudices,  is  all  thrown 
away  on  these  persons.  They  have  no  notion  of  its  exist 
ence  ;  but  they  can  very  well  understand  that  the  owner  of 
an  unencumbered  and  handsome  estate  is  richer  than  the 
heiress  of  a  poor  divine,  who  can  just  make  the  year  meet 
on  8500  per  annum.  I  let  them  grumble,  as  I  know  they 
must  and  will  find  fault  with  something  connected  with  my 
self,  until  they  have  got  away  my  land,  or  are  satisfied  it  is 
not  to  be  had.  As  for  Opportunity,  I  have  been  assured  that 
she  threatens  to  sue  me  for  a  "  breach  of  promise ;"  nor 
should  I  be  at  all  surprised  were  she  actually  to  make  the 
attempt.  It  is  by  no  means  unusual,  when  a  person  sets  his 
or  her  whole  soul  on  a  particular  object,  to  imagine  circum 
stances  favourable  to  his  or  her  views,  which  never  had  an 
existence;  and  Opportunity  may  fancy  that  what  I  have 
heard  has  been  "  the  buzzing  in  her  own  ear."  Then  the 
quackery  of  legislatures  has  set  the  ladies  at  work  in  earnest, 
and  he  will  soon  be  a  fortunate  youth  who  can  pass  through 
his  days  of  celibacy  without  some  desperate  assault,  legal  or 
moral,  from  the  other  sex.  Besides,  nothing  can  be  out  of 
the  way,  when  it  is  found  that  the  more  popular  and  most 
numerous  branch  of  the  Legislature  of  New  York  really 
believes  it  can  evade  that  solemn  provision  of  the  Constitu 
tion  of  the  United  States,  which  says  "  no  state  shall  pass 
any  law  impairing  the  obligations  of  contracts,"  by  enacting, 
as  they  can  regulate  the  statute  of  descent,  that  whenever  a 
landlord  dies,  the  tenant,  by  applying  to  the  chancellor,  can 
have  his  leasehold  tenure  converted  into  a  mortgage,  on  dis 
charging  which  the  land  will  be  his,  unencumbered !  We 
have  heard  of  a  "  thimble-rig  administration"  in  England, 
and  really  that  industrious  nation  seems  to  have  exported 
the  breed  to  this  country.  How  many  of  those  who  voted 
for  such  a  law  will  like  to  see  the  ays  and  noes  on  the 
journals  of  the  assembly  ten  years  hence  ?  If  there  should 
be  one  such  man  left  in  the  state,  he  will  be  an  object  of 
humane  commiseration.  We  have  had  many  efforts  at 
legislative  chicanery,  and  some  that  have  been  tolerably  clever , 
40* 


474  THE    REDSKINS. 

but  this  is  a  palpable  experiment  in  the  same  way,  made  for 
a  reason  that  everybody  understands,  that  has  not  even  the 
negative  merit  of  ingenuity.  Our  own  courts  will  probably 
disregard  it,  should  the  Senate  even  concur ;  and  as  for  those 
of  the  United  States,  they  will,  out  of  all  doubt,  treat  it  as  it 
ought  to  be  treated,  and  brand  it  with  ignominy.  The  next  step 
will  be  to  pass  a  law  regulating  descents,  as  it  is  called,  un 
der  the  provisions  of  which  the  debtors  of  the  deceased  can 
meet  his  obligations  with  a  coin  technically  called  "  puppies." 

Jaaf  drivels  away.  The  black  occasionally  mumbles  out 
his  sentiments  concerning  past  events,  and  the  state  of  the 
country.  An  anti-renter  he  regards  as  he  would  a  thief,  and 
makes  no  bones  of  saying  so.  Sometimes  he  blunders  on  a 
very  good  remark  in  connection  with  the  subject,  and  one 
he  made  no  later  than  yesterday,  is  worthy  of  notice. 

"  What  dem  feller  want,  Masser  Hugh  1"  he  demanded. 
"  Dey  's  got  one  half  of  deir  farms,  and  now  dey  wants  tud- 
der  half.  S'pose  I  own  a  co.w,  or  a  sheep,  in  par'nership, 
what  right  I  got  to  say  I  will  have  him  all  ?  Gosh !  dere 
no  sich  law  in  ole  time.  Den,  who  ebber  see  sich  poor  In- 
jin !  Redskin  mis'rubble  enough,  make  'e  bess  of  him,  but 
dis  Injin  so  mis'rubble  dat  I  doesn't  won'er  you  can't  bear 
him.  Oh  !  how  ole  I  do  git — I  do  t'ink  ole  Sus  can't  last 
much  longer,  too '" 

Old  Susquesus  still  survives,  but  an  object  of  great  hatred 
to  all  the  anti-renters,  far  and  near.  The  'Injin'  system  has 
been  broken  up,  temporarily  at  least,  but  the  spirit  which 
brought  it  into  existence  survives  under  the  hypocritical 
aspect  of  "  human  rights."  The  Upright  of  the  Ononda- 
goes  is  insensible  of  the  bad  feeling  which  is  so  active 
against  him,  nor  is  it  probable  that  most  of  those  who  enter 
tain  this  enmity  are  conscious  of  the  reason ;  which  is 
simply  the  fact  that  he  is  a  man  who  respected  laws  to  the 
making  of  which  he  was  a  party,  and  preferred  to  sutler 
rather  than  to  be  guilty  of  an  act  of  injustice. 


NOTE  BY  THE  EDITOR. 

Here  the  manuscript  of  Mr.  Hugh  Roger  Littlepage,  jun., 
terminates.  That  gentleman's  feelings  have  probably  for 
bidden  his  relating  events  so  recent  as  those  which  have 
since  occurred.  It  remains,  therefore,  for  us  to  add  a  few 
words. 

Jaaf  died  about  ten  days  since,  railing  at  the  redskins  to 
the  last,  and  talking  about  his  young  massers  and  missuses 
as  long  as  he  had  breath.  As  for  his  own  descendants,  he 
had  not  been  heard  to  name  them,  for  the  last  forty  years. 

Susquesus  still  survives,  but  the  "  Injins"  are  all  defunct. 
Public  opinion  has,  at  last,  struck  that  tribe  out  of  existence, 
and  it  is  hoped  that  their  calico  bags  have  been  transmitted 
to  certain  politicians  among  us,  who,  as  certain  as  the  sun 
rises  and  sets,  will  find  them  useful  to  conceal  their  own 
countenances,  when  contrition  and  shame  come,  as  contrition 
and  shame  will  be  sure  to  succeed  such  conduct  as  theirs. 

It  may  be  well  to  add  a  word  on  the  subject  of  the  tone 
of  this  book.  It  is  the  language  of  a  man  who  feels  that  he 
has  been  grievously  injured,  and  who  writes  with  the  ardour 
of  youth  increased  by  the  sense  of  wrong.  As  editors,  we 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  that  than  to  see,  while  calling 
things  by  their  right  names,  that  language  too  strong  for  the 
public  taste  should  not  be  introduced  into  our  pages.  As  to 
the  moral  and  political  principles  connected  with  this  matter, 
we  are  wholly  of  the  side  of  the  Messrs.  Littlepages,  though 
we  do  not  think  it  necessary  to  adopt  all  their  phrases  — 
phrases  that  may  be  natural  to  men  in  their  situations,  but 
which  would  be  out  of  place,  perhaps,  in  the  mouths  of  those 
who  act  solely  in  the  capacity  of  essayists  and  historians. 

To  conclude :  —  Mr.  Littlepage  and  Mary  Warren  were 
married,  in  St.  Andrew's  church,  a  very  few  days  since. 
We  met  the  young  gentleman,  on  his  wedding  tour,  no  later 


476  NOTE    Bt     THE     EDITOR. 

than  yesterday,  and  he  assured  us  that,  provided  witli  sucK 
a  companion,  he  was  ready  to  change  his  domicile  to  any 
other  part  of  the  Union,  and  that  he  had  selected  Washing 
ton,  for  the  express  purpose  of  being  favourably  situated  for 
trying  the  validity  of  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  as  op 
posed  to  the  "  thimble-rigging"  of  the  New  York  Legisla 
ture.  It  is  his  intention  to  have  every  question  connected 
with  the  covenants  of  his  leases,  that  of  taxing  the  landlord 
for  property  on  which  the  tenant  has  covenanted  to  pay  ah 
taxes ;  that  of  distress  for  rent,  when  distress  must  precede 
the  re-entry  stipulated  for  by  the  leases ;  and  that  of  any 
other  trick  or  device  which  the  brains  of  your  "  small-potato" 
legislator  may  invent  in  order  to  wrong  him  out  of  his  pro 
perty.  As  for  ourselves,  we  can  only  say,  God  give  him 
success !  for  we  are  most  deeply  impressed  that  the  more 
valuable  parts  of  the  institutions  of  this  country  can  be  pre 
served  only  by  crushing  into  the  dust  this  nefarious  spirit 
of  cupidity,  which  threatens  the  destruction  of  all  moral 
feeling,  and  every  sense  of  right,  that  remains  among  us. 

In  our  view,  Oregon,  Mexico,  and  Europe,  united  against  us, 
do  not  threaten  this  nation  with  one-half  as  much  real  danger 
as  that  which  menaces  it  at  this  moment,  from  an  enemv 
that  is  now  in  possession  of  many  of  its  strong-holds,  and 
which  is  incessantly  working  its  evil  under  the  cry  of 
liberty,  while  laying  deeper  the  foundation  of  a  most  atrocious 
tyranny. 

I  forgot  to  add,  Mr.  Littlepage  significantly  remarked, 
at  parting,  that  should  Washington  fail  him,  he  has  the 
refuge  of  Florence  open,  where  he  can  reside  among  the 
other  victims  of  oppression,  with  the  advantage  of  being  ad 
mired  as  a  refugee  from  republican  tyranny. ^^^^gsss^^ 


THE     END. 


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